Mathias Thaler

Professor of Political Theory, University of Edinburgh

Category: News and Events

  • Short piece in Current History

    The journal Current History has just published a short piece of mine on climate pessimism: Thaler, Mathias. “For a Fearless, Stirring, and Loving Climate Pessimism.” Current History 125, no. 867 (2026): 35–37. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2026.125.867.35.

  • New Paper in Political Theory

    My new paper on Kierkegaard and the Anthropocene has just been published (online first) in Political Theory. The abstract is below and the paper can be accessed openly here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00905917251398784 Abstract One of the most perplexing aspects of life on a climate-changed planet concerns the status of human action. As Donna Haraway observes, we appear…

  • New paper in the Journal of Politics

    I have just had a paper accepted in the Journal of Politics. Its title is: “Acting Otherwise in the Face of Ecological Collapse: Günther Anders and the Politics of Infinite Delay”. After its publication, I will update this information. Meanwhile, the pre-print can be downloaded here: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/739296

  • New review of No Other Planet in Utopian Studies

    Utopian Studies just published a generous and thought-provoking review of my book No Other Planet, by Ashley S. Moser (Tacoma Community College). Here is an excerpt: “What could easily become a heady, jumbled rush of theories and observations is kept in line by Thaler’s tight structure, leaving a monograph that is engaging to read while…

  • SCAS podcast

    The SCAS podcast has recently recorded a conversation with me. The conversation, entitled Can Science Fiction Help Us Imagine New Ways of Acting Together in the Anthropocene?, can be found here: https://www.swedishcollegium.se/outreach/the-scas-talks-podcast#Episode66

  • Short piece in Der Standard

    I have just had a short piece on climate pessimism published in the Austrian newspaper Der Standard. You can read the text here: https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000282701/das-gute-am-klimapessimismus

  • Forum exchange on No Other Planet

    The journal Distinktion just published a piece bringing together four excellent readers of my book No Other Planet (CUP 2022). They also gave me an opportunity to respond to the generous and insightful comments from Ruth Kinna, Gerard Delanty and Marit Hammond, which was a real pleasure. Special thanks to Andy Schaap for bringing us…

  • Work featured in Danish newspaper

    William Sass, from the Danish newspaper Information has published an informative and engaging piece on utopianism and climate change. In researching the article, he interviewed me and closely read my book. You can find the whole article here: https://www.information.dk/indland/2025/06/klimakrisen-kraever-akut-handling-ogsaa-fremtidsdroemme-utopier

  • New review of No Other Planet

    I just came across a very insightful review of my book by Darrel Moellendorf in the Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie. Here is a an excerpt with some praise, but the text also contains excellent objections to my ideas: “No Other Planet ist eine reichhaltige Quelle für utopische Theoriearbeit und eine faszinierende Diskussion der menschlichen Aussichten…

  • Audio recording of inaugural lecture

    A recording of my inaugural lecture as Professor of Political Theory at the University of Edinburgh from May 2024 can be found here: https://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/inaugural-lectures/mathias-thaler