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Dr. Ben Trott

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C5.330
Fon +49.4131.677-2098, ben.trott@leuphana.de
Associated member, Institute of Philosophy and Art History
Frauen und Gleichstellung

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Vita

Ben Trott is Academic Director of Gender Studies. He is speaker of the Center for Critical Studies (CCS), co-speaker of the university-wide Gender and Diversity Research Network and Director of the cultural studies M.A. program “Critical Studies: Arts, Theory, History” (“Kritik der Gegenwart”). He is a member of the German Research Council (DFG) "Social Reproduction Between Crisis and Transformation" scholarly network.

His research combines three areas of inquiry. First, social/political philosophy and theory and the resources these provide for thinking about political claim-making, demands, social conflict and transformation. Second, queer theory and gender studies. This includes attention to the relationship between sexuality, gender, labour and global political economy. Third, social movements and contentious politics in an age of globalisation. He is currently working on a book about the ongoing effects of the 2007/8 political economic crisis, the politicisation of “identity”, and contemporary conflicts around free speech. He was previously Lecturer in Feminist Thought and Global Justice in the Politics Department at Cardiff University and a Postdoc with the Program in Literature at Duke University.

He has held research fellowships at the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality at New York University (NYU), the Forum Basiliense at the University of Basel, and the Center for the Study of Social and Global Justice at Nottingham University. He completed his doctorate in Philosophy at the Freie Universität Berlin. 

CV

- Spring 2026, Global Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, New York University (NYU)

- since 2025, Academic Director of Gender Studies, Leuphana University of Lüneburg

- 2024 winter semester, Research Fellow, Forum Basiliense, University of Basel

- 2016 – 2025 Visiting Scholar/Visiting Professor, Institute for Philosphy and Art History (IPK), Leuphana University of Lüneburg

- 2016 Lecturer in Feminist Thought and Global Justice, Department of Politics and International Relations, Cardiff University, UK

- 2015 – 2016 Associate Lecturer, Political Science, JFK Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin

- 2014 – 2015 Post-Doctoral Associate with the Program in Literature, Duke University, USA

- 2013 – 2014 Associate Lecturer, Political Science, JFK Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin

- 2012 – 2013 Post-Doctoral Associate with the Program in Literature, Duke University, USA

- 2012 Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, UK

- 2011 – 2012 Associate Lecturer, Political Science, JFK Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin

- 2011 – 2012 Associate Lecturer (Lehrbeauftragter) MA in European and World Politics, Department of Social Sciences, Bremen University of Applied Sciences

Education

- 2012 PhD in Philosophy, Freie Universität Berlin

- 2005 MA in International Relations, University of Sussex, UK

- 1999 BA in Politics with Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK

Teaching Fields

- Social and Political Philosophy and Theory

- Queer Theory and Gender Studies

- Globalisation and Political Economy

- Social Movements

- Anglophone Cultural Studies

Membership of Editorial Boards

- The Journal of Labor and Society

- fem.phil | Gegenwärtige feministische Philosophie (Book series, Metzler Verlag) (Advisory Board)

Reviewer for:

Journal of Social Philosophy; Social Theory and Practice: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal of Social Philosophy; Global Discourse: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Current Affairs and Applied Contemporary Thought; Graduate Journal of Social Science; Historical Materialism: Research in Critical Marxist Theory; Journal of Labor and Society; Feminist Theory; Sexualities; Social Movement Studies – Journal of Social, Cultural and Political Protest; Organization; Organization Studies; Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography; Contention: The Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Protest; ephemera: theory & politics in organization; Interface: A Journal For and About Social Movements; METU – Studies in Development; Culture, Health & Sexuality; Open Gender Journal; Pluto Press.

Projects

  1. Social Reproduction Between Crisis and Transformation (German Research Council Scholarly Network)
    Ben Trott (Partner)

    Project: Research

  2. Duke University - Leuphana University Gender, Queer and Transgender Studies Workshop for Doctoral Candidates
    Ben Trott (Project manager, academic) , Gabriel Rosenberg (Project manager, academic)

    Project: Teaching

View all projects

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. Queer Studies: Schlüsseltexte
    Mike Laufenberg (Editor) , Ben Trott (Editor) , 2023 2. ed. Berlin , 576 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Research

  2. Die intime Stadt: Kulturen queerer Verbindung
    Kristine Beurskens (Editor) , Laura Calbet i Elias (Editor) , Nihad El -Kayed (Editor) , Nina Gribat (Editor) , Stefan Höhne (Editor) , Johanna Hoerning (Editor) , Jan Simon Hutta (Editor) , Justin Kadi (Editor) , Michael Keizers (Editor) , Yuca Meubrink (Editor) , Boris Michel (Editor) , Gala Nettelbladt (Editor) , Lucas Pohl (Editor) , Nikolai Roskamm (Editor) , Nina Schuster (Editor) , Lisa Vollmer (Editor) , Ben Trott (Editor) , 2022 Berlin , 296 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  3. The Conjuncture of “Corbynism” and the UK Labour Party
    Ben Trott (Editor) , 2021 Durham NC , 51 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  4. Politics of Reproduction
    Ben Trott (Editor) , Armin Beverungen (Editor) , Randi Michaela Heinrichs (Editor) , Sascha Simons (Editor) , Clemens Apprich (Editor) , Inga Luchs (Editor) , Laura Hille (Editor) , 2020 Lüneburg

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  5. Queer Theory After Marriage Equality. Edited collection in the journal "South Atlantic Quarterly"
    Ben Trott (Editor) , 2016 2 ed. Durham, North Carolina

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. Editorial: Die intime Stadt – Kulturen queerer Verbindung
    Ben Trott (Author) , 16.12.2022 , in: sub\urban zeitschrift für kritische stadtforschung, 10, 2/3 , p. 7-15 , 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research

  2. Introduction: The Political Project of Corbynism
    Ben Trott (Author) , 01.10.2021 , in: South Atlantic Quarterly, 120, 4 , p. 872-878 , 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research

  3. Politics of Reproduction
    Ben Trott (Author) , Armin Beverungen (Author) , Randi Michaela Heinrichs (Author) , Sascha Simons (Author) , Clemens Apprich (Author) , Inga Luchs (Author) , Laura Hille (Author) , 01.03.2020 , in: spheres - Journal for Digital Cultures, 2000, #6 , p. 1-10 , 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research

  4. Friends and Family - the Reproduction of Queer Life
    Ben Trott (Author) , 01.01.2020 , in: spheres - Journal for Digital Cultures, 6 , 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research

  5. Queer Berlin and the Covid-19 Crisis: A Politics of Contact and Ethics of Care
    Ben Trott (Author) , 01.01.2020 , in: Interface: A Journal for and About Social Movements, 12, 1 , p. 88-108 , 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research

View all publications

Contributions to collected editions/anthologies

  1. Queer Studies: Genealogien, Normativitäten, Multidimensionalität
    Ben Trott (Author) , Mike Laufenberg (Author) , 25.12.2023 Berlin , p. 7-99 , 93 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research

  2. Cognitive Capitalism
    David Harvie (Author) , Ben Trott (Author) , 01.01.2022 Los Angeles , p. 1517-1538 , 22 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

  3. From the Precariat to the Multitude
    Ben Trott (Author) , 01.01.2015 London , p. 22-45 , 24 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

  4. Gefühle, Affekte, Feminisierung: Interventionen in die geschlechtliche Arbeitsteilung
    Ben Trott (Author) , 01.01.2013 Münster , p. 104-115 , 12 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research

  5. Protest
    Ben Trott (Author) , Tadzio Müller (Author) , 01.01.2012 , p. 226-227 , 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Articles for encyclopedia › Research

View all publications

Activities

Press / Media

  1. Soziopolis Besprechung von "Queer Studies. Schlüsseltexte" (hg. Ben Trott und Mike Laufenberg)
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  2. Jahrbuch Sexualitäten (2024) Besprechung von "Queer Studies. Schlüßeltexte" (hg. Ben Trott und Mike Laufenberg)
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  3. Zündstoffe. Queere Positionen und Kritik
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  4. Was ist Queer Theory?
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  5. "taz - die Tageszeitung" Besprechung von "Queer Studies. Schlüsseltexte" (hg. Ben Trott und Mike Laufenberg)
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

View all press/media coverage

Prizes

  1. Leuphana Prize for Gender and Diversity Research
    (Recipient) ,

    Prize: Leuphana internal Prize, Scholaships, distinctions, appointments › Research

View all prizes

Courses

Introduction to Cultural Studies
Ben Trott
Das Studium Kulturwissenschaften in Lüneburg zielt auf eine kritische Analyse der Gegenwart und ihrer sozialen, medialen, ästhetischen, historischen, ökonomischen, wissenschaftlichen und politischen Konstituiertheit. Es geht darum, die Bedingungen, Grenzen und Möglichkeiten kultureller Formationen und Wissenspraktiken in ihrem historische Gewordensein und aktuellen Manifestationen zu analysieren und theoretisch zu befragen. Die Vorlesung „Einführung in die Kulturwissenschaften“ führt in dieses Verständnis der Kulturwissenschaften ein, stellt die verschiedenen Vertiefungsfächer des Majors Kulturwissenschaften vor und gibt einen exemplarischen Überblick über Praxisfelder der Kulturwissenschaften.

Aktuelle gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen sind mit technologischer Transformation, Digitalisierung, globalem Kapitalismus, Migration und Mobilität, Globalisierung, Urbanisierung, Geschlechterverhältnissen, ökologischen Krisen, sozialer Ungleichheit, Arbeit, Privatheit und insgesamt der Veränderung von kulturellen Formationen nur grob benannt. All diese Phänomene fordern zu einer gesellschaftlichen Neubestimmung heraus und bedingen die Weisen, wie wir leben. Dies bedeutet auch, zu untersuchen, inwiefern Kultur selbst zur zweiten Natur geworden ist und als normative Ordnung Ein- und Ausschließungen produziert. Kultur ist so verstanden als umstrittenes und von Wechselwirkungen durchzogenes Feld der Konstitution und Transformation von Praktiken, Institutionen und Artefakten, deren Erforschung es nötig macht, über eine enge Definition von Kultur hinauszugehen. Neben Wissensformationen nehmen wir künstlerische und politische Handlungsformen, ökonomische, ökologische und arbeitsweltliche Transformationen sowie insgesamt gesellschaftliche, organisationale und interaktionale Strukturen und Wandlungsprozesse in den Blick.

Die Kulturwissenschaften in Lüneburg verfolgen damit einen Ansatz, der historische und aktuelle Formen der Kulturwissenschaften, die Tradition der kritischen Theorie, Ansätze der Cultural Studies und eine Vielfalt sozialtheoretischer Perspektiven – von der Systemtheorie bis zum Pragmatismus – im Hinblick auf eine Erneuerung des Aufklärungs- und Kritikanspruchs der Kulturwissenschaften verknüpft. In Fächern und Schwerpunkten wie Kulturtheorie und Kulturanalyse, Kultur- und Mediensoziologie, Kulturorganisation und -analyse, Medienwissenschaft, Kulturtechnik und Digitale Kulturen, Wissensgeschichte, Raumforschung, Kunst und Visuelle Kultur, Auditive Kultur bzw. Sound Studies, Literaturwissenschaft, Gender- und Queer Studies, Globalisierte Kulturen und Migrationsforschung begegnen wir den aktuellen Herausforderungen mit kritisch-analytischem Denken und diagnostischen Beschreibungen, um zu einem Handlungsräume und Horizonte eröffnenden Verständnis gegenwärtiger Gesellschaften und ihrer Geschichte zu gelangen.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-10-14 at 12:15
Room: C HS 3
Introduction to Theories of Gender and Diversity
Ben Trott
This seminar introduces some of the key theoretical approaches to the study of gender and other forms of social difference and heterogeneity. It includes an attention to theories of sexuality, racism, disability/able-bodiedness, the legacies of colonialism, and social/political economic class. Over the course of the semester, students explore the historical relationship between theories that were developed within social movements (mostly in the second half of the twentieth century) and those that have subsequently taken hold within critical fields of study in the university. These include Women’ Studies, Gay and Lesbian Studies, Queer Studies, Transgender Studies, Black Studies, Post-Colonial Studies, Disability Studies, and inter-disciplinary scholarship on diversity and intersectionality. In many cases, we will read both a short text introducing or situating a particular critical field of study as well as a key contribution to this field.

Please note: This seminar is the introductory module to the MA Gender and Diversity Certificate. For more information, see: www.leuphana.de/gdz
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-10-14 at 14:15
Room: C 40.146 Seminarraum
Master-evening KdG
Petra Nietzky, Ben Trott
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-10-14 at 14:30
Room: C 5.325 Seminarraum
Production and Reproduction: Capitalism, Colonialism, Globality
Ben Trott
If capitalism is characterised in part by the accumulation and expansion of capital, how and where does this take place? In other words, how is capital produced, and how are the social relations that facilitate this production re-produced? When and through which mechanisms did capital accumulation begin? Does our current system of accumulation have global or perhaps more regional (European?) origins? How can we understand the relationship between contemporary forms of globalization and colonial histories? What is the relation between production and reproduction, historically and today? How have anti-colonial and feminist thinkers – from Frantz Fanon to Silvia Federici – contributed to a re-thinking of the role of places, practices and actors long thought peripheral to (global) capitalist production? What role does sexuality play in this history of capitalism, and what does it mean to take a queer approach to the critique of capitalism? How are contemporary social movements contesting exploitation, alienation, inequality, appropriation, and injustices from within the nexus of production and re-production today?

In this seminar, students will engage critically with the work of Gargi Bhattacharyya, Christopher Chitty, Frantz Fanon, Silvia Federici, Nancy Fraser, Rahel Jaeggi, Karl Marx, Sandro Mezzadra and Verónica Gago, Rahul Rao, Cedric Robinson, Immanuel Wallerstein, and Raymond Williams.
Next appointment:
Tuesday, 2026-10-13 at 16:15
Room: C 40.154 Seminarraum
Queer Digital Cultures (SBP)
Ben Trott
Digital media, digital technologies and digital infrastructures shape contemporary culture in many and far-reaching ways. This seminar examines their impact on 'queer' culture in particular – understood here as both LGBT (i.e. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) cultures as well as, more broadly, cultures that contest or subvert dominant norms around gender and sexuality. Students will explore recent efforts to theorise the relationship between transformations in information, digital and other technologies, and transformations in the fields of gender and sexuality. They will examine recent empirical as well as theoretically-informed work on the ways that digital media and technologies are shaping queer life and culture. And they will address the extent to which the study of digital cultures can be productively approached from a queer perspective.

Issues that will be explored include the following:
• The role of digital media in transgender self-representation
• How social media hashtags (like #lesbian) can facilitate both the production of community and the (de-)stabilisation of identity categories
• How LGBT and queer intimacies are being transformed through dating and ‘hook-up’ apps (such as Her and Grindr)
• Digital labour and online pornography
• Asexuality and online community
• Histories of the transgender internet
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-10-12 at 16:15
Room: C 40.146 Seminarraum
Queer Theory
Ben Trott
Students will be introduced to Queer Theory as a field that addresses the ways in which contested gender and sexual norms play an important role in shaping culture and society as a whole. The class also explores the ways in which key figures within Queer Studies have refused to study gender or sexuality in isolation from other axes and hierarchies of difference or from contemporary forms of capital accumulation and nationalism.

Students will critically engage with key works by Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, José Esteban Muñoz, Kadji Amin, and others.
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-10-12 at 14:15
Room: C 40.146 Seminarraum
Theories and Applications of Intersectionality and Multidimensionality – Gender and Diversity Certificate Core Seminar
Ben Trott
Nobody experiences the world in just one dimension. This seminar looks critically at how gender, sexuality, racism and class form multiple, intersecting dimensions that shape individual experience, social structures and power relations. This ‘intersectionality’ or ‘multidimensionality’ informs the ways in which some people and some groups experience specific (often particularly egregious) forms of oppression, marginalisation or exploitation. However, the seminar also looks at how ‘intersectional’ or ‘multidimensional’ approaches have historically informed the ways in which such oppression, marginalisation or exploitation have been resisted.

Throughout this course, we will look at how economic questions – i.e. questions of class and capitalism, waged and unwaged labour – shape gender, sexuality, racism and the ways in which these are entangled with one another.

The seminar forms one of the two foundational seminars within the BA Gender and Diversity Certificate. For more information see www.leuphana.de/gdz
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-10-12 at 12:15
Room: C 40.146 Seminarraum