Professor Magdalena Zolkos explores politics through culture, memory and social transformation

Professor Magdalena Zolkos started as a professor at the Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy in August. Before joining the University of Jyväskylä as Associate Professor in 2021, Zolkos held academic positions at Western Sydney University and Australian Catholic University and was a Humboldt Researcher at Goethe University in Frankfurt. She has earned her doctorate from the University of Copenhagen and master's degrees from Birkbeck, University of London, and the University of Gdańsk. 

Alongside her research and teaching, Zolkos serves as editor-in-chief of an academic journal Philosophy, Politics and Critique, published by Edinburgh University Press. Now in its third year, the journal focuses on philosophical work around current political issues.

Exploring historical justice through psychosocial perspectives 

Zolkos’ research focuses especially on historical justice, questions of political responsibility, social repair and collective memory and trauma, including in the contexts of post-colonialism and post-atrocity. One of the more recent foci of that research is the return of cultural heritage to societies of origin and Indigenous peoples. 

According to Zolkos, understanding these issues requires scholars and students to look beyond conventional approaches.

–In psychosocial and psychoanalytical perspectives, categories that don't belong to mainstream political science, such as questions of affect, trauma, desire, emotions, the unconscious, suddenly become important in order to unpack these phenomena, she explains. 

Connecting political theory with current political questions 

According to professor Zolkos, it is important for political research to remain responsive to what is happening in world politics. This also affects how she understands the position of being a political scientist: beyond being an observer who stands outside of the political world, she stresses the importance of considering one’s own position in relation to their research. 

Her research also focuses on changes in post-colonial and critical race and whiteness studies.

–Often, the questions of returning cultural items taken by colonial-era administrators, scholars, and explorers are presented like rectifying an injustice that occurred in the past. But if we take seriously voices of marginalized communities and of the people who are calling for the return of their ancestral heritage, they are clearly showing that injustices and dispossessions are continuing and present reality. Return of cultural resources is a key aspect of political and cultural sovereignty.

Current political developments also play a central role in Zolkos' teaching. The content of both bachelor’s and master’s level courses evolves from year to year in response to changing political realities, student interests and emerging debates. Zolkos regularly asks students what they see as critical issues and incorporates their insights into syllabus development.

–It is interesting to see what students see as the ‘critical issues of our times’. Currently, many of my students in the Political Critique course want to discuss fascism and its resurgence in Europe and beyond. They are also interested in critical analysis of gender, politicizations of masculinity, and trans-phobia. More recently, AI and its impact on politics, society, the environment and the labor market have become a matter of key concern. 

Supporting the next generation of scholars

While starting a new position as a professor brings new areas of focus, research remains an important part in Zolkos’ role. 

–I am hoping to develop my research further, build research teams, publish extensively as well as secure new research grants. At the same time, becoming a professor has made me reflect on what the position means, as well as the significance of the people who supported me throughout my academic career, Zolkos mentions. 

Zolkos describes a growing sense of responsibility and gratitude towards her academic community. As a professor, she would like to support other researchers and help junior colleagues, especially young women and colleagues from minority backgrounds, to develop their academic career and to become political philosophers. 

–It is important for me to support everyone who has the skills and interest in academic research and studies, and especially those junior colleagues and prospective researchers who face systemic and structural hurdles and who might not have had the same opportunities as their other peers, she notes. 

The role of education in developing critical thinking skills 

Zolkos views education as something that can change people's life circumstances and open new horizons. This idea is present both in her teaching and research.

At the same time, she is concerned about the way in which artificial intelligence is impacting the tertiary sector and devaluing practices and skills that have long been taken for granted: creative labour, education, critical thinking, reading, conversation, listening to others and accepting disagreement and a plurality of opinions.

–Universities have a responsibility to the society at large to nurture these skills and practices. Our role as educators is never merely to disseminate knowledge; we should also be preparing our students to navigate the political and ethical complexities of the world, and to recognize the world as something we all share in and co-create.