Matt Sleat: Post-Liberalism
Professor Matt Sleat discusses post-liberalism: what it is, where it comes from, and why it has gained momentum.
About this event
Liberalism has long shaped political life across the modern West. But in recent years, post-liberalism has become one of the most talked-about ideas on the ‘New Right’, attracting supporters including American Vice-President JD Vance.
In this talk, Professor Matt Sleat (University of Sheffield) discusses post-liberalism: what it is, where it comes from, and why it has gained momentum. He examines the problems he sees in the movement’s diagnosis of today’s political challenges, and argues that its proposed solutions come with grave risks, from authoritarianism to coercion. He also considers how liberals might respond to post-liberalism, and what the shift means for the future of conservative politics.
He is in conversation with Dr David Moon (University of Bath).
This event is open to all.
Speaker biography: Matt Sleat is Professor of Political Theory at the University of Sheffield’s School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations. He works on and has published widely across three main research areas: realist political thought, liberal philosophy, and international relations theory. He is author of two books – Post-Liberalism (Polity, 2025) and Liberal Realism: A Realist Theory of Liberal Politics (MUP, 2013) – and editor of Politics Recovered: Essays on Realist Political Thought (Columbia University Press 2018). He has held research fellowships from the Leverhulme Trust and British Academy, and visiting fellowships at the Australia National University, Queen Mary University of London, Kings College London and the University of Oxford. He is an editor of the European Journal of Political Theory, and from 2017-2023 was co-editor of Political Studies. In 2020, he was awarded the inaugural Mid-Career Prize by the Britain and Ireland Association for Political Thought.
This event is hosted by the University of Bath Institute for Policy Research (IPR).
If you have any questions about this event, please contact us via Eventbrite or email ipr@bath.ac.uk
Professor Matt Sleat discusses post-liberalism: what it is, where it comes from, and why it has gained momentum.
About this event
Liberalism has long shaped political life across the modern West. But in recent years, post-liberalism has become one of the most talked-about ideas on the ‘New Right’, attracting supporters including American Vice-President JD Vance.
In this talk, Professor Matt Sleat (University of Sheffield) discusses post-liberalism: what it is, where it comes from, and why it has gained momentum. He examines the problems he sees in the movement’s diagnosis of today’s political challenges, and argues that its proposed solutions come with grave risks, from authoritarianism to coercion. He also considers how liberals might respond to post-liberalism, and what the shift means for the future of conservative politics.
He is in conversation with Dr David Moon (University of Bath).
This event is open to all.
Speaker biography: Matt Sleat is Professor of Political Theory at the University of Sheffield’s School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations. He works on and has published widely across three main research areas: realist political thought, liberal philosophy, and international relations theory. He is author of two books – Post-Liberalism (Polity, 2025) and Liberal Realism: A Realist Theory of Liberal Politics (MUP, 2013) – and editor of Politics Recovered: Essays on Realist Political Thought (Columbia University Press 2018). He has held research fellowships from the Leverhulme Trust and British Academy, and visiting fellowships at the Australia National University, Queen Mary University of London, Kings College London and the University of Oxford. He is an editor of the European Journal of Political Theory, and from 2017-2023 was co-editor of Political Studies. In 2020, he was awarded the inaugural Mid-Career Prize by the Britain and Ireland Association for Political Thought.
This event is hosted by the University of Bath Institute for Policy Research (IPR).
If you have any questions about this event, please contact us via Eventbrite or email ipr@bath.ac.uk
Please note: this is an in-person event.
It will take place in Room 3.5 in the Chancellors' Building, University of Bath Claverton Down campus.
The Chancellors' Building has level access with double-width automatic doors. There are lifts inside the building. There are accessible toilets inside the building.
Room 3.5 is flat and has wheelchair access. There is a hearing loop.
Getting to the University
By Bus
First West of England runs services between Bath and the University campus. Visit the bus section on the website to find out about the bus services you can take to and from the University’s Claverton Down campus.
Cycling and Walking
You can walk or bike from the centre of Bath using North Road, Bathwick Hill or Widcombe Hill. These routes involve a steep uphill climb. It will take 30-40 minutes to walk to campus.
Visit the cycling and walking section on the website for more detail about the routes.
Driving
If you drive to the University, you can use the Pay to Park parking on campus and pay using the JustPark app. There is Pay to Park parking for visitors in the East Car Park and the South Car Park. If you have a Blue Badge, you can use disabled parking spaces free of charge. There are Blue Badge spaces in all campus car parks.
Visit the parking section on the website for more detailed information on parking at the campus.
View an accessibility map of parking and wheelchair access points on campus. Visit the Campus Car Parks page on AccessAble for more information.
Good to know
Highlights
- 1 hour
- In person
Location
University of Bath
Convocation Avenue
Claverton Down Claverton Down BA2 7AY
How do you want to get there?
