Philipp Bravos

I am a second-year MPhil student in Political Theory. Broadly, my interests are democratic theory (especially republicanism), environmental political theory, utopia, critical theory, and their intersections.

In my thesis, I am reconstructing the republican tradition as inherently utopian, responding to several long-standing criticisms that claim it is too demanding. More specifically, I am examining how the utopian resources of a radical green republicanism make the ecological transition both more attractive and attentive to its emancipatory objectives. The central idea is that republicanism itself has a ‘utopian surplus’ and can avoid the pitfalls of an authoritarian utopianism.

Before joining DPIR, I studied Political Science at Freie Universität Berlin, where I graduated first-class in 2025. My undergraduate thesis explored the apocalyptic political theologies of Carl Schmitt and Bruno Latour, and the role of the mysterious figure of the Katechon, in particular. This reflects my ongoing (side) interests in political theology and the metaphysical foundations of politics. 

Aside from my studies, I was a student assistant for the research cluster SCRIPTS – Contestations of the Liberal Script in Berlin. I am currently working as a research assistant for Professor Cécile Laborde. In 2026/27, I am co-conveying the Oxford Work in Progress in Political Theory Workshop (OWIPT). I also serve as a student representative for the MPhil cohort 2025–27. 

My studies at Oxford are generously supported with scholarships by the Heinrich-Böll Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Before I started studying political theory, I was a climate activist and a councillor in my hometown. Now, I am trying to connect theory and practice in the non-profit association Forum Political Creativity, which I co-founded. You can find out more about our attempts to promote utopian thinking and politics here.