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William Watkin

Professor of Contemporary Philosophy and Literature, Brunel University London

I am one of the leading experts on contemporary, continental philosophy in particular as regards how it relates to contemporary political situations. I specialise in the work of Agamben, Badiou, Derrida, Foucault, and Deleuze. I also work extensively on violence, conflict, terrorism, world politics and technology.

I teach a course on violence at Brunel University specialising in issues of capital punishment, technology, terrorism, surveillance and control. I have recently published articles in the media on ISIS decapitations and on the crisis in capital punishment in the US.

I have also published academic work on violence, for example: “Agamben, Benjamin and the Indifference of Violence” in Towards a Critique of Violence: Benjamin and Agamben. London: Bloomsbury, July 2015.

I am currently working with my agent on a book about the way digital technology has changed our relationship towards violence and death. Provisionally entitled "Snuff" it stretches from the use of social media to develop an intimate digital relationship with images of extreme violence, to the way digital technologies such as drones distances us from acts of war making them seem no more real than video games.

Briferendum Series

Referendum petition hack shows even democracy can be trolled

Jun 30, 2016 13:09 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The electronic petition submitted to parliament calling for a second referendum on Britains exit from the European Union is a notable development in digital democracy. The number of signatories has passed 4m how many will...

Tracking criminals' biodata is another step towards constant surveillance for us all

Jun 16, 2016 15:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law

For some convicted criminals, punishment doesnt end when theyre released from prison. Thanks to new electronic tags, parole officers in the US can monitor recently released prisoners 24 hours a day. These dont just check...

Lethal injections and the tragedy of America's execution addiction

Jun 03, 2016 08:19 am UTC| Insights & Views Life Law

It began in Utah back in 1977. On January 17 of that year, Gary Gilmore became the first man to be executed in the US for more than a decade, ending a national moratorium on the death penalty. Gilmore, guilty of murdering...

Economy

The idea that US interest rates will stay higher for longer is probably wrong

The 0.4% rise in US consumer prices in March didnt look like headline news. It was the same as the February increase, and the year-on-year rise of 3.5% is still sharply down from 5% a year ago. All the same, this modest...

Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Stocks, Gold and Bitcoin

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. The information provided is for general purposes only. No information, materials, services and other content provided on this page constitute a solicitation, recommendation,...

Japan Posts 7.7% Growth in Machinery Orders

In a striking development that looks set to invigorate Japans economic prospects, a key gauge of capital spending in the country has seen its most significant jump in over a year. According to Cabinet Office data released...

Why Africa can be the beating heart of South Korea’s technology industry

Tshepo Ncube, Head: International Coverage and Bhavtik Vallabhjee, Head: Power, Utilities Infrastructure at Absa CIB reflect on their recent visit to South Korea, examining why investors in the region have their eyes set...

How cuts to marginal income tax could boost the UK’s stagnant economic growth

The British prime minister recently claimed the UK economy has turned a corner. Rishi Sunak said inflation figures were encouraging, and proclaimed that 2024 would be the year Britain bounces back. According to his...

Politics

US Commerce Secretary Asserts Huawei Chip Lag, Affirms Export Control Success

In an interview on CBS News 60 Minutes, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that the latest Huawei Mate 60 Pro phones chip remains significantly behind U.S. technology despite being the most advanced from China. She...

Putin’s Russia: first arrests under new anti-LGBT laws mark new era of repression

Just over three decades after Russia decriminalised homosexuality in 1993, three people have been arrested and charged under the countrys harsh new anti-LGBT laws and could face ten years in prison for membership of an...

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants

One year after the federal government closed Roxham Road, refugee claims in Canada continue to increase: there were 143,785 in 2023 compared to 91,730 in 2022. The surprise announcement in March 2023 to modify Canadas...

Who will Trump pick as his running mate?

Being second in line for leadership of the most powerful country in the world is not an easy job. But for Mike Pence, vice president under Donald Trump, things were even harder than usual. As insurrectionists descended...

Science

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it

Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life. Often termed an ocean world by scientists, observations to date strongly...

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

Technology

LG Energy Solution to Combat Infringement By Launching Licensing Business for Battery Patents

LG Energy Solution announced it will take a firm stance against companies that are infringing its battery patents. The South Korean battery maker said on Wednesday, April 24, that it will launch a new business for...

Binance Launches Meme Coin Giveaway as Whale Moves $53M Bitcoin

In a striking blend of events, Binance has rolled out a massive giveaway for meme coin traders, including SHIB and DOGE, on the same day a mega whale withdrew $53 million worth of Bitcoin, stirring market...

Tesla Teases Self-Driving App Amid Profit Slide, Plans Uber Rival

Tesla Inc. has unveiled plans for a self-driving ride-hailing app, aiming to rival Uber, even as its quarterly profits fall sharply amid slowing demand. The tech giant teased the app alongside a report of a 9%...

Hong Kong Cracks Down on Crypto Scams as FTX Claims Ignite Market Surge

Hong Kongs Securities and Futures Commission has warned against two crypto trading platforms, CBEX Group and Bitget Pro, over suspected fraudulent activities, just as the market sees a surge amid FTX bankruptcy...

SEC Postpones Grayscale's Ethereum ETF Decision Amid Tighter Crypto Scrutiny

The SEC has once again delayed Grayscales application for a spot Ethereum ETF, pushing the decision to June 23 as it intensifies its examination of cryptocurrency ETFs. This marks another delay setback affecting major...