Alberto Ribeiro Gonçalves de Barros

Academic Background

• 2013 Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of São Paulo.
  Title: English Republicanism: Freedom in John Milton, Marchamont Nedham and James Harrington
• 2009 Post-Doctorate at the University of London
• 1999 PhD in Philosophy at the University of São Paulo
  Title: Right and Power in Jean Bodin
  Supervisor: Prof. Rolf Nelson Kuntz
• 1992 Master's Degree in Philosophy at the University of São Paulo
  Title: The theory of sovereignty in Jean Bodin
  Supervisor: Prof. Rolf Nelson Kuntz
• 1988 Bachelor´s Degree in Philosophy at the University of São Paulo
• 1984 Bachelor´s Degree in Administration at the Faculty of Administration of São Paulo

Current Research

The Neo-Republican Conception of Political Freedom

Abstract:

This research project intends to evaluate the conception of political freedom proposed by the two main exponents of neo-republicanism: Quentin Skinner and Philip Pettit. This conception has been presented by both as coming from the republican tradition and as an alternative to the dichotomy between negative and positive freedom, dominant in the contemporary political debate. Our intention is to discuss whether this conception corresponds to the meaning that republicanism has historically attributed to the concept of freedom and whether it really differentiates itself from negative freedom and positive freedom. The hypothesis is that it moves away from the modern republicanism’s matrix, losing its link with a relevant part of the republican tradition. In doing so, it ceases to be an alternative and becomes a mode of negative freedom, coming too close to the liberal conception.

Members:
Coordinator: Prof. Alberto Ribeiro Gonçalves de Barros