Dr Tommy Lynch
Reader in Political Theology
About
Dr Tommy Lynch is Reader in Political Theology and the Programme Coordinator for the BA (Hons) Philosophy and Ethics. He is interested in political theology, continental philosophy and the role of religion in contemporary politics.
Research
Dr Lynch has two primary research interests. The first is philosophical work on apocalypticism.
In his book聽Apocalyptic Political Theology: Hegel, Taubes, and Malabou, he traces the development of an apocalyptic strand of philosophical thought from German Idealism through political theology (Carl Schmitt and Jacob Taubes) and into contemporary philosophy.
He argues that reflecting on contemporary global crises (economic, ecological, social and political) reveals the need for apocalyptic thinking.
Political theology offers resources for thinking about the end of the world without collapsing into apathy.
The second is an interdisciplinary effort to understand the connects between the concepts 鈥榬eligion鈥� and 鈥榬ace鈥� in the history of Western philosophy.
In a number of articles and essays, he has argued that these concepts emerge together and that contemporary treatments of religion, especially in political discussions聽of聽religious minorities, often ignore its racial dimensions.
He is particularly interested in the ongoing connection between religion and race in the context of a secular Europe and the implication of these connections for political thought.
PhD Supervision
Dr Lynch is open to PhD proposals focusing on the following:
- Hegel
- Contemporary continental philosophy
- Philosophy of religion
- Political theology
Research Output
Articles
Lynch, T. (2022) Culture and Religion, 21 (3). pp. 280-297. ISSN 1475-5629
Lynch, T. (2020) Philosophy & Social Criticism, 47 (2). pp. 225-240. ISSN 0191-4537
Lynch, T. (2017) Jewish Culture and History, 19 (1). pp. 111-113. ISSN 2167-9428
Lynch, T. (2017) Critical Research on Religion, 5 (3). pp. 284-301. ISSN 2050-3032
Lynch, T. (2017) Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, 29 (2). pp. 133-154. ISSN 0943-3058
Lynch, T. (2010) International Journal of Zizek Studies, 4 (4). ISSN 1751-8229
Book Sections
Lynch, T. (2023) In: Worlds ending. Ending worlds: Understanding apocalyptic transformation. Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic studies, 1 . De Gruyter, Berlin, pp. 21-36. ISBN 9783110787009
Lynch, T. (2021) In: The Spirit of Populism: Political Theologies in Polarized Times. Political and Public Theologies, 1 . Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands, pp. 40-56. ISBN 9789004498310
Lynch, T. (2014) In: Theology After Lacan: The Passion for the Real. Cascade Books, Eugene, pp. 211-231.
Books
Lynch, T. (2019) Political Theologies . Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781350064744
