Carlo Argenton, Italy
PhD Government
Roughly 150 years ago Marx famously wrote that the time for philosophers to interpret the world was over, and that what they should from thereon focus on was changing it. In times of deep structural transformations of the world economy, of financial crises, of geopolitical reshuffling inspired by the Arab Spring and the economic and cultural rise of Asia, I believe that there may actually still be some value in pausing for a moment to reflect on the nature of these changes, and what they may mean for individuals, societies and our self-understanding.
The scholarship I received to study for my PhD in Political Theory in the Government department has allowed me to take such a pause, and reflect on the theoretical dimension of the nature of political order, at both the national and international levels. And it has allowed me to do so in one of the best centres for the study of liberal political theory in the world. Staff and colleagues are a constant source of inspiration, both with their knowledge as well as their friendliness, in one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world.