BIO
I am a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Politics at the New School for Social Research. My research interests encompass political theory/critical theory, ecological politics, and intellectual history (Plato in particular). My ongoing research project is about ecological politics, imperialism, and sovereignty. I am specifically exploring the framework of interspecific ecological imperialism and how it will profoundly alter our understanding of territory, population, and security. I am keen to investigate the intricate relationships between sovereignty, territory, and ecological imperialism by analyzing the case of artificial islands in the South China Sea.
My debut book, titled On Popular Sovereignty, delves into the concept of popular sovereignty in connection with various political arenas and ideologies, such as constitutional order, human rights, the rule of law, emergency power, and political theology. This work also addresses contemporary challenges in realizing popular sovereignty, touching upon issues like class struggle and nationalism. My second book, The Myth of Westphalia, serves as a political treatise aiming to uncouple the idea of popular sovereignty from nation-building. Against the backdrop of various forms of (neo-)imperialism, I posit that the transformative potential of self-determination can unlock boundless prospects through political activism.
Beyond my Ph.D. studies, I co-founded a critical theory initiative named Truthseeker alongside Athena Tam in 2014. Our mission is to disseminate avant-garde perspectives and discussions on politics and philosophy to the Chinese-speaking audience. This initiative encompasses a range of activities, including interviews, study groups, and publications. I am pleased to mention that Truthseeker has recently been recognized and included in the International Consortium of Critical Theory Programs (ICCTP). ICCTP, hosted by the Program in Critical Theory at UC Berkeley, serves as a dynamic nexus that brings together global proponents of critical theory.
Furthermore, I have contributed almost two hundred articles to various media outlets, both print and online, in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. These articles primarily address debates and issues in the humanities, social science, mass media, technology, and ecology. For instance, I’ve written pieces for MingPao Daily News (明報), Initium Media (端傳媒), Breakazine, Stand News (立場新聞), Fleurs des Lettres(字花), HK01(香港01), and more.
2019 –
PhD in Politics
“Territorialization and its Ecological Discontents: Renewing the Critique of Ecological Imperialism Through the Study of Island-making of China in the South China Sea"
Supervisor: Rafi Youatt
New School for Social Research, The New School
2017 – 2019
MPhil in Philosophy
“In Search of Lost Statecraft: The Role of Judgment in Plato’s Political Thought"
Supervisor: Gregory Moss
Chinese University of Hong Kong
2015 – 2016
MA in Politics
“States as Persona Publica: Normativity in Carl Schmitt’s Political Thought"
Supervisor: Liisi Leedus
University of York
2010 – 2012
BA in Philosophy
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Books/ Monographs:
Lee, Y. S. (forthcoming). Relational Storytellers in the Diasporic Age: Towards Diasporic Agency and Internationalism (in Chinese:離散時代的歷史主體). Taipei, Taiwan: 2046 Publishing.
Lee, Y. S. (forthcoming). Dialogue as a Way of Philosophizing: A Collection of 20 Conversations with Thinkers (in Chinese: 當代哲學對話). Taipei, Taiwan: Spring Hill Publishing.
Lee, Y. S. (2022). The Myth of Westphalia: Unleashing the Possibilities of Popular Sovereignty (主權神話論：秩序和衝突)(in Chinese). Taipei: Showwe Information. (link)
Lee, Y. S. (2020). On Popular Sovereignty: Ideas and Critiques (主權在民論：理念和挑戰)(in Chinese). Hong Kong: Humming Publishing. (link)
Edited Books:
Lee, Y. S. & Tam, Athena (Eds.) (forthcoming). Illuminations: Truthseeker’s Tenth Anniversary Collection (in Chinese: 螢燭之光：《燃燈者》十周年文集). Taipei, Taiwan: Showwe Info.
Book Chapters:
Lee, Y. S. (2022). “Thus Spoke My Ukraine Classmate: On the Historical Context of the Russian-Ukrainian War"（與我的烏克蘭同學談烏俄衝突的歷史脈絡 ）(in Chinese), in Outpost of the Free World: Ukraine War 2022 (自由世界的前哨：2022烏克蘭戰爭). Taipei: 1841 Press Enterprise. (link)
Conference Papers:
2023. “Ecological Imperialism and its Discontents: The Case of Artificial Islands", 120th APSA Annual Meeting 2023. LA, USA.
2023. “Towards Islandic Thinking: Critical Theory in the Anthropocene", 27th IPSA World Congress of Political Science. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2023. “To See What He Would Call Them: The Politics of Place-Naming and Ecological Neo- imperialism in the Spratly Islands", Association of Asia Studies 2023 Annual Conference. Boston, United States.
2021. “The Hidden Connection between Physis and Nomos: On Carl Schmitt’s Nomos of the Earth“, 71st Annual Meeting of the Metaphysical Society of America. College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, United States.
2019. “On Plato’s Notion of Practical Wisdom”, 2019 Western Classics & Medieval Culture Academic Conference, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan.
2019. “Plurverse as Complexio Oppositorum – The metaphysical undercurrent of Carl Schmitt’s political thought in the 1920s," 69th Annual Meeting of the Metaphysical Society of America. Seattle University, Seattle, United States.
2019. “Revolution as Rainbow Tracing – Reinterpreting Marx’s concept of Communism in Die Deutsche Ideologue”, 17th Conference of the Research Network for Transcendental Philosophy and German Idealism. Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
2018. “Substantial Equality and the Bearer of Public Will: On Carl Schmitt’s Critical View of Dynamic Constitution”, The XXIV World Congress of Philosophy International Federation of Philosophy. Peking University, Beijing, China.
2018. “The Practical Concern of the Politeia: On Plato’s Opposition of Athenian Imperialism”, 2018 Western Classics & Medieval Culture Academic Conference, Fu Jen Catholic University. Taipei, Taiwan.
2018. “Mythmaking and Statecraft: The Political Implication of Platonic Myth” “Plato’s Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Context” International Conference Institute of Classical, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of IvaneJavakhishvili. Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Book Reviews:
Lee, Y. S. (2021). Book Review: The Uncontrollability of the World. European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology. DOI: 10.1080/23254823.2021.1988213. [link]
Lee, Y. S. (2021). Book Review: Nine Talmudic Readings. Reading Religion. American Academy of Religion. [link]
Lee, Samuel. (2020). Book Review: The End of Law: Carl Schmitt in the Twenty-First Century. Phenomenological Review. [link]
Lee, Y. S. (2020). Book Review: The Routledge Companion to the Frankfurt School. Reading Religion. American Academy of Religion. [link]
Lee, Y. S. (2019). Book Review: Thomas Hobbes and the Natural Law. Reading Religion. American Academy of Religion. [link]
Lee, Y. S. (2018). Book Review: The invention of God. Reading Religion. American Academy of Religion. [link]
Honour/ Awards:
Dean’s Fellowship
New School for Social Research
2019
Reach Out Award
Hong Kong Government
2019
Dean’s list
Chinese University of Hong Kong
2010-2011
Academic Activities:
Guest Editor, Theoria, in progress. Special issue on “Archipelagic Thinking and its Political Implications in Western Pacific."
LEE Yu-sum, Samuel 