Noel Parker

Short presentation

• Since 2003, Associate Professor in Political Theory and the History of Ideas at the University of Copenhagen, and previously Reader in European Politics at the University of Surrey (UK). From 1977 to 1993, he was a member of the academic staff at the British Open University.  He holds a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the History of Ideas, a Maîtrise de Philosophie, and Ph.D. in Government (from the London School of Economics).

   

  Current research interests centre on the spatial, geopolitical and identity construction of socio-political orders: their borders, boundaries and margins; and empires as non-sovereign-state forms extending over space.  Longer-standing interests have been the meaning and historical evolution of practices of contention such as revolution and terrorism; and the validity and force of survivals from Enlightenment thought. 

  • Spring 2014: Honorary Research Fellow at University or Sussex Centre for Advanced International Theory
  • Spring 2010: Honorary University Fellow at the University of Exeter, UK

   

  Publications include:

  • Books: Empire and International Order. Aldershot: Ashgate.; The Geopolitics of Europe’s Boundaries: Spaces, Centres and Margins, 2008; Margins in European Integration (with Bill Armstrong). 2000. Palgrave; Revolutions and History: an Essay in Interpretation. 2000. Polity; Portrayals of Revolution: Images, Debates and Structures of Thought on the French Revolution. 1990. Wheatsheaf.
  • Articles: Critical Border Studies: Broadening and Deepening the ‘Lines in the Sand’ Agenda (with Nick Vaughan-Williams: introduction to special issue). 2012. Geopolitics, 17(4), 727-733; Parker, N., &. (2012). Picking and Choosing the ‘Sovereign’ Border: A Theory of Changing State Bordering Practices. (with Rebecca Adler-Nissen); Geopolitics, 17(4), 773-796; Imperial power and the organization of space in Europe and North America (with Magali Gravier: introduction to special issue). 2011. Journal of Political Power, 4(3), 451-455; Imperialism, Territory and Liberation: On the dynamics of empire stemming from Europe. 2011. Journal of Political Power, 4(3), 355-374; Empire as a Geopolitical Figure. 2010. Geopolitics, 15(1), 109-132.

Knowledge of languages

Native English-speaker;

Fluent Danish;

Fluent French for reading and writing, rusty spoken French

Teaching

• Basic undergraduate course on political theory and the history of political ideas
• MA-level teaching on: Terrorism, Empires, Identity v. otherness, Space and territory, America and Europe, Ideology, Religion and politics
• Ph.D. supervision on: international society, political identities

Fields of interest

Borders, Empire, Enlightenment, European identity, Identity, Imperialism, Margins, Regionalization, Revolution, Spatiality, Territory, Terrorism, World History

CV

Higher Education degrees:

• BA philosophy & MA History of Ideas, University of Surrey (UK) (1967)
• MA History of Ideas, University of Surrey (UK) (1969)
• Maîtrise de Philosophie, University of Nice (France) (1976)
• Ph.D. government, London School of Economics (1976)
• Certificate in Counselling, University of Manchester (1990)

Academic positions:

• Current: Associate Professor in Political Theory and the History of Ideas
• Previous: 1993-2003 University of Surrey (UK): final position Reader in European Politics; 1977-1993 UK Open University: final position Lecturer in Arts

Primary fields of research

• The spatial, geopolitical and identity construction socio-political orders, notably:

1. their borders, boundaries and margins;
2. empires, with regard to their role as non-state political entities that extend to create order beyond their own boundaries. 

• Longer-standing interests have been

1. the meaning and historical evolution of practices of contention such as revolution and terrorism; 
2. the validity and force of survivals from Enlightenment thought.