Philip D Walsh
Associate Professor
Office: Vari Hall, 2060C
Phone: 416)736-2100 Ext: 77999
Email: walshp@yorku.ca
Media Requests Welcome
Accepting New Graduate Students
Philip Walsh is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology. His research focuses mostly on the theoretical foundations of the social sciences. His earlier work was oriented to epistemology in the critical theory tradition of the Frankfurt School. More recently, he has written on the significance of the work of the political theorist, Hannah Arendt, for sociology and sociological theory. His current research explores the significance of Critical Realism in the fields of the sociology of knowledge and of emotions. His books include Skepticism, Modernity and Critical Theory (Palgrave, 2008), Arendt Contra Sociology (Routledge, 2015) and (edited, with Peter Baehr) The Anthem Companion to Hannah Arendt (Anthem, 2017). His latest book, The Reality of Knowledge, will be published with Routledge in 2024.
Degrees
Ph.D in Sociology, University of WarwickMA in Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Warwick
BA in Philosophy, University of Delaware
Professional Leadership
MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
International Social Theory Consortium, Canadian Sociological Association, British Sociological Association
Research Interests
(2017) The Anthem Companion to Hannah Arendt, edited by Peter Baehr and Philip Walsh. New York: Anthem.
2005: Walsh, Philip (author). Skepticism, Modernity and Critical Theory. London, New York: Palgrave-MacMillan (182pp.)
2004: Schneiderman, Davis, and Philip Walsh (editors). Retaking the Universe: William S. Burroughs in an Age of Globalization. London, Sterling, VA: Pluto Books (312 pp.)
Walsh, Philip (2023) "Hannah Arendt and the Problem of Evil", in T&T Clark Handbook of Suffering and the Problem of Evil. (M. Grebe and J. Grossl, eds.) Bloomsbury.
Walsh, Philip (2022) “Risk and New Realities: Social Ontology, Expertise and Individualization in the Risk Society”, in Handbook on Risk and Inequality (ed. Dean Curran), London: Elgar
Walsh, Philip (2021) “Hannah Arendt”, in The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology (ed. George Ritzer) Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell
Walsh, Philip (2021) "Power and Violence in the Political Thought of Hannah Arendt", in G. Delanty & S. Turner (eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Social and Political Theory. London and New York: Routledge
Walsh, Philip (2019) "Max Weber and Hannah Arendt on Methodology, Action and Politics", in The Bloomsbury Companion to Hannah Arendt (edited by Peter Gratton and Yasemin Sari). London: Bloomsbury.
Walsh, Philip (2018) “Karl Mannheim and Hannah Arendt on Rationality, Politics and Action”, in The Anthem Companion to Karl Mannheim. New York: Anthem.
Walsh, Philip (2017) “Hannah Arendt on Thinking, Personhood and Meaning”, in The Anthem Companion to Hannah Arendt. New York: Anthem
Walsh, Philip (2015) 'Sociology and Classicality: Texts, Borders and Borderline Classics', in P. Baehr, Founders, Classics, Canons: Modern Disputes over the Origins and Appraisal of Sociology's Heritage, 2nd ed. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction
Walsh, Philip (2014) 'Hannah Arendt on the Social', in P. Hayden (ed.) Hannah Arendt: Key Concepts London, UK: Routledge
Walsh, Philip (2013) 'Norbert Elias and Hannah Arendt on Philosophy, Sociology and Science' in F. Dépelteau and T.S. Landini (eds.) Norbert Elias and Social Theory. London, New York: Palgrave
Schneiderman, Davis and Philip Walsh (2004) “Millions of People of People Reading the Same Words”, in Retaking the Universe: William S. Burroughs in an Age of Globalization, London, Sterling, VA: Pluto
Walsh, Philip (2004) 'Re-Activating the Dialectic of Enlightenment: Burroughs as Critical Theorist', in D. Schneiderman and P. Walsh (eds.) Retaking the Universe: William S. Burroughs in an Age of Globalization, London, Sterling, VA: Pluto
2011: 'Review of Peter Baehr (2010) Hannah Arendt, Totalitarianism and the Social Sciences', British Journal of Sociology (62) 4
2011: 'Review of Laura L. Adams (2009) The Spectacular State: Culture and National Identity in Uzbekistan', American Journal of Sociology 116 (5)
2010: 'Review of Nicos Mouzelis (2008) Modern and Postmodern Social Theorizing' Contemporary Sociology 38 (6)
2008: Walsh, Philip, Review of Elisabeth Young-Bruehl (2006) Why Arendt Matters. History of the Human Sciences 21 (1)
Walsh, Philip (2024) Social cognition and the origin of concepts in Durkheim’s sociology of knowledge. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour
Walsh, Philip (2021) Emotions, Personhood and Social Ontology: A Critical Realist Approach. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour .
Walsh, Philip (2014) 'Is a Post-Philosophical Sociology Possible? Insights from Norbert Elias's Sociology of Knowledge'. Philosophy of the Social Sciences 44 (2)
Walsh, Philip (2013) 'Knowledge and the Constitution of Society: Dead Ends and Ways Forward in the Sociology of Knowledge. Journal of Classical Sociology (13) 4
Walsh, Philip (2011) 'The Human Condition as Social Ontology: Hannah Arendt on Society, Action and Knowledge'. History of the Human Sciences 24 (2)
Walsh, Philip (2008) “Hannah Arendt, Sociology and Political Modernity”, Journal of Classical Sociology 8 (3)
Walsh, Philip (2008) “Herbert Marcuse and Contemporary Social Theory: Beyond the Consumer Society”, Current Perspectives in Social Theory, Vol. 25, "No Social Science Without Critical Theory"
October 2007: Walsh, Philip, Entry for Immanuel Kant, in The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell
February 2005: Walsh, Philip, Entry for Daniel Bell, in Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers, Bristol: Thoemmes-Continuum Books (pp. 179-182)
Current Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter 2024 | AP/SOCI3040 3.0 | M | Advanced Sociological Theory | BLEN |
| Fall/Winter 2023 | AP/SOCI3060 6.0 | A | Sociological Perspective on Social Psych | LECT |
Upcoming Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2024 | AP/SOCI4910 6.0 | A | The Sociology of Knowledge | LECT |
Philip Walsh is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology. His research focuses mostly on the theoretical foundations of the social sciences. His earlier work was oriented to epistemology in the critical theory tradition of the Frankfurt School. More recently, he has written on the significance of the work of the political theorist, Hannah Arendt, for sociology and sociological theory. His current research explores the significance of Critical Realism in the fields of the sociology of knowledge and of emotions. His books include Skepticism, Modernity and Critical Theory (Palgrave, 2008), Arendt Contra Sociology (Routledge, 2015) and (edited, with Peter Baehr) The Anthem Companion to Hannah Arendt (Anthem, 2017). His latest book, The Reality of Knowledge, will be published with Routledge in 2024.
Degrees
Ph.D in Sociology, University of WarwickMA in Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Warwick
BA in Philosophy, University of Delaware
Professional Leadership
MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
International Social Theory Consortium, Canadian Sociological Association, British Sociological Association
Research Interests
All Publications
Walsh, Philip (2023) "Hannah Arendt and the Problem of Evil", in T&T Clark Handbook of Suffering and the Problem of Evil. (M. Grebe and J. Grossl, eds.) Bloomsbury.
Walsh, Philip (2022) “Risk and New Realities: Social Ontology, Expertise and Individualization in the Risk Society”, in Handbook on Risk and Inequality (ed. Dean Curran), London: Elgar
Walsh, Philip (2021) “Hannah Arendt”, in The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology (ed. George Ritzer) Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell
Walsh, Philip (2021) "Power and Violence in the Political Thought of Hannah Arendt", in G. Delanty & S. Turner (eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Social and Political Theory. London and New York: Routledge
Walsh, Philip (2019) "Max Weber and Hannah Arendt on Methodology, Action and Politics", in The Bloomsbury Companion to Hannah Arendt (edited by Peter Gratton and Yasemin Sari). London: Bloomsbury.
Walsh, Philip (2018) “Karl Mannheim and Hannah Arendt on Rationality, Politics and Action”, in The Anthem Companion to Karl Mannheim. New York: Anthem.
Walsh, Philip (2017) “Hannah Arendt on Thinking, Personhood and Meaning”, in The Anthem Companion to Hannah Arendt. New York: Anthem
Walsh, Philip (2015) 'Sociology and Classicality: Texts, Borders and Borderline Classics', in P. Baehr, Founders, Classics, Canons: Modern Disputes over the Origins and Appraisal of Sociology's Heritage, 2nd ed. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction
Walsh, Philip (2014) 'Hannah Arendt on the Social', in P. Hayden (ed.) Hannah Arendt: Key Concepts London, UK: Routledge
Walsh, Philip (2013) 'Norbert Elias and Hannah Arendt on Philosophy, Sociology and Science' in F. Dépelteau and T.S. Landini (eds.) Norbert Elias and Social Theory. London, New York: Palgrave
Schneiderman, Davis and Philip Walsh (2004) “Millions of People of People Reading the Same Words”, in Retaking the Universe: William S. Burroughs in an Age of Globalization, London, Sterling, VA: Pluto
Walsh, Philip (2004) 'Re-Activating the Dialectic of Enlightenment: Burroughs as Critical Theorist', in D. Schneiderman and P. Walsh (eds.) Retaking the Universe: William S. Burroughs in an Age of Globalization, London, Sterling, VA: Pluto
2011: 'Review of Peter Baehr (2010) Hannah Arendt, Totalitarianism and the Social Sciences', British Journal of Sociology (62) 4
2011: 'Review of Laura L. Adams (2009) The Spectacular State: Culture and National Identity in Uzbekistan', American Journal of Sociology 116 (5)
2010: 'Review of Nicos Mouzelis (2008) Modern and Postmodern Social Theorizing' Contemporary Sociology 38 (6)
2008: Walsh, Philip, Review of Elisabeth Young-Bruehl (2006) Why Arendt Matters. History of the Human Sciences 21 (1)
(2017) The Anthem Companion to Hannah Arendt, edited by Peter Baehr and Philip Walsh. New York: Anthem.
2005: Walsh, Philip (author). Skepticism, Modernity and Critical Theory. London, New York: Palgrave-MacMillan (182pp.)
2004: Schneiderman, Davis, and Philip Walsh (editors). Retaking the Universe: William S. Burroughs in an Age of Globalization. London, Sterling, VA: Pluto Books (312 pp.)
Walsh, Philip (2024) Social cognition and the origin of concepts in Durkheim’s sociology of knowledge. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour
Walsh, Philip (2021) Emotions, Personhood and Social Ontology: A Critical Realist Approach. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour .
Walsh, Philip (2014) 'Is a Post-Philosophical Sociology Possible? Insights from Norbert Elias's Sociology of Knowledge'. Philosophy of the Social Sciences 44 (2)
Walsh, Philip (2013) 'Knowledge and the Constitution of Society: Dead Ends and Ways Forward in the Sociology of Knowledge. Journal of Classical Sociology (13) 4
Walsh, Philip (2011) 'The Human Condition as Social Ontology: Hannah Arendt on Society, Action and Knowledge'. History of the Human Sciences 24 (2)
Walsh, Philip (2008) “Hannah Arendt, Sociology and Political Modernity”, Journal of Classical Sociology 8 (3)
Walsh, Philip (2008) “Herbert Marcuse and Contemporary Social Theory: Beyond the Consumer Society”, Current Perspectives in Social Theory, Vol. 25, "No Social Science Without Critical Theory"
October 2007: Walsh, Philip, Entry for Immanuel Kant, in The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell
February 2005: Walsh, Philip, Entry for Daniel Bell, in Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers, Bristol: Thoemmes-Continuum Books (pp. 179-182)
Current Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter 2024 | AP/SOCI3040 3.0 | M | Advanced Sociological Theory | BLEN |
| Fall/Winter 2023 | AP/SOCI3060 6.0 | A | Sociological Perspective on Social Psych | LECT |
Upcoming Courses
| Term | Course Number | Section | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2024 | AP/SOCI4910 6.0 | A | The Sociology of Knowledge | LECT |
