Erica Benner

A political philosopher and historian of political thought, she holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford. Over the course of her career, she has taught at universities in Warsaw, Oxford and Yale, as well as at the London School of Economics (LSE). She is currently a professor at the Hertie School in Berlin and President of the European Society for the History of Political Thought. 

She is the author of the acclaimed biography Be Like the Fox: The Life of Machiavelli and Adventures in Democracy, which was named one of the best books of 2024 by the Financial Times. Her books have been translated into more than ten languages. 

Her work also explores nationalism and the formation of national identity, examining how historical ideas and political thought continue to shape contemporary politics and conflict.