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Dr. A.C. (Alex) Thinius

Faculty of Humanities
Literature and Linguistics
Visiting address
  • Spuistraat 134
Postal address
  • Postbus 1642
    1000 BP Amsterdam
Contact details
Social media
  • Profile

    I am a philosopher and socio-cultural researcher. My core specialization is conceptualizing what sex-gender is and in what way it is part of our existence.

    Feel free to drop me a line, if you're curious about my work or interested in collaborating. I am always interested in a chat.

    My research is supported by the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis.

    Together with Rose Trappes, I convene the DEFPoS Reading Group.

    Research interests

    • Phenomenology: Existentialism
    • Gender Studies: Masculinity; Trans*; Social Reproduction
    • 4ECognition: Enactivism; Systems Theory
    • Critical Theory: Philosophy of Culture; Social Philosophy
    • Metaphysics and Philosophy of Science
    • Post- and Decolonial Theory
    • Aesthetics: Genre Theory; Music

     

  • Research

    Current Research Projects

    In the upcoming years, I will be working on two postdoc research horizons.

    The Reconceptualization of Sexual Difference: Exploring Enactivist Approaches and Pluralist Conceptions to Sex-Gender

    Life-scientists are currently seeking complex conceptions of sex and gender to improve research and health care for everybody. This project analyzes the concepts and metaphors that life-scientists are using to do this. The aim is to improve these conceptual tools for a dynamic and pluralist understanding of the sexes.

    I have received a NWO Rubicon grant to pursue this project in 2023 at the GenderSci Lab at Harvard and RU Nijmegen. 

    The project is part of a larger research horizon on integrating existential phenomenology and complex systems theories.

     

    How is Ameliorative Change Possible?

    This long-term research horizon looks at what emancipatory change in (gender) norms can learn from ameliorative changes in ordinary (aesthetic) practices. It includes critical work on masculinities and work on aurality as approach to postcolonial critique.

     

    Past Research: The Gender Ontology Project

    I have completed and successfully defended my PhD research project on what it means to be of a particular gender, with a dissertation entitled "Genders as Genres: Understanding Dynamic Categories", supervised by Prof. dr. Beate Rössler and Prof. dr. Robin Celikates (FU Berlin).

    I have published the results of this project in my dissertation. A further book publication with De Gruyter is in process, and the dissertation is thus embargoed from open access until further notice. Please get in touch with me to access my dissertation.

  • CV

    Academic Employment, Affiliation, and Education

    • Since 2021 Lecturer, Department of Literary & Cultural Analysis, UvA. Further teaching in Philosophy and at AUC.
    • Since 2021  Associate Researcher at ASCA, Universiteit van Amsterdam
    • 2021 Doctorate, University of Amsterdam
    • 2019 (Fall) Visiting PhD at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • 2018 (Fall) Visiting PhD at University of Sheffield
    • 2016-2021 PhD researcher at ASCA, Universiteit van Amsterdam
    • 2016 Lecturer (Lehrauftrag) Uni Münster, and guitar teacher at music school in Hagen.
    • 2015 Research Master of Arts in Philosophy, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen
    • 2012-2015   Study Philosophy, Musicology, and Music at Universities Münster, Bochum, ArtEZ Arnhem, and RU Nijmegen
    • 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and in Cultural- & Socialanthropology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster

     

    Current Teaching

    • UvA: 'Critical Histories', BA LCA, design and teaching with Alessandra Benedicty-Kokken
    • UvA: 'Art, Science, and Technology', BA LCA, teaching.

    Courses Taught

    • 2021/2 AUC: “Global Identity Experience”, liberal arts Bachelor, teaching.
    • 2021/2 UvA: “Key Concepts: Porn, Virus, Author, Trans”, BA LCA, teaching and design with Diego Semerene.
    • 2021/2 UvA: “Theories of Justice”, MA Philosophy, teaching and design with Gerrit Schaafsma MA.
    • 2021/2 UvA: “Feminism and Philosophy”, BA Philosophy, teaching, design, and course coordination.
    • 2021/2 UvA: “Art, Science, and Technology”, BA LCA, teaching.
    • 2018 University of Bochum: “Conspiracy theories — introduction to theory and practice of critical thinking” [“Verschwörungstheorien — Einführung in die Theorie und Praxis kritischen Denkens”], Department of Philosophy, BA introduction to philosophy of science, teaching and design with Laura Martena MA (Uni Köln),
    • 2016 University of Münster: “Interpretations of Sex in Philosophy & Cultural Studies” [“”Natürlich, wild, frei’: Zentrale Interpretationen von sex in Philosophie und Cultural Studies”], Department for Political Science, BA general studies, teaching and design supervised by Dr. Matthias Freise.
    • 2016 University of Münster: “Scientific Facts or Artefacts of Science? Scientific Realism Contested” [“Wissenschaftliche Fakten oder Artefakte der Wissenschaft? Wissenschaftlicher Realismus und seine Herausforderungen”], Center for Philosophy of Science, BA general studies, teaching and design.

    Further Teaching Experience

    • Workshops on conceptions of gender (with dr. Katrine Smiet, at Nederlandse Organisatie voor Gender Studies).
    • Guest lectures on Judith Butler and Hannah Arendt (ReMA Philosophy at UvA; and BA program at Ciee)
    • 2021 UvA, Teaching Assistant, pan-humanities Master elective course "Art & Activism", taught by dr. Sruti Bala & dr. Elize Mazadiego.
    • 2019  UvA, Bachelor Philosophy thesis supervision (with dr. Karen Vintges), "Sexual violence and hegemonic masculinity: An analysis of Connell's concept of 'hegemonic masculinity'" [“Seksueel geweld en hegemonische mannelijkheid: Een analyse aan de hand van het begrip 'hegemonische mannelijkheid' van Connell.”]
  • Publications

    2016

    • Seidel, M., & Thinius, A. (2016). A Snowslide of Entities: Does Sosa’s Existential Relativism Provide a Barrier Against Being Buried? In A. Bahr, & M. Seidel (Eds.), Ernest Sosa: Targeting His Philosophy (pp. 101-118 ). (Münster Lectures in Philosophy; Vol. 3). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32519-4_7 [details]

    2018

    2015

    • Thinius, A. C. (Author). (2015). Sex, Lügen und Revolution oder love, peace and understanding? Review von Laurie Penny's 'Unsagbare Dinge'. Web publication/site, Literatur und Feuilleton. Literaturkritik von Komparatisten.

    2011

    • Thinius, A. C. (Author). (2011). Auf der Suche nach Eindeutigkeit in „Auf der Suche“. Web publication/site, Missy Magazine. Magazin für Pop, Politik, und Feminismus.
    • Thinius, A. C. (Author). (2011). Meek’s Cutoff – ein Western aus Sicht von Frauen?. Web publication/site, Missy Magazine. Magazin für Pop, Politik, und Feminismus.

    2021

    • Thinius, A. C. (2021). Masculinity and the Ontology of Men: From Connell’s ‘Hegemonic Masculinity’ to Enactment Classes. Abstract from OZSW Conference XX 2021, Tilburg, Netherlands. https://ozsw2020.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/book-of-abstracts.pdf
    • Thinius, A. C. (2021). Masculinity and the Ontology of Men: ‘Hegemonic Masculinity’ after Connell. Paper presented at Workshop on Gender and Philosophy, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
    • Thinius, A. C. (2021). Trans* in digital communication: Conceptualizing dialectic aspects of sharing. Abstract from ASCA Workshop 2021, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    2019

    • Thinius, A. C. (2019). What Kind of Situation is the Body in de Beauvoir?. Paper presented at Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex. UK Sartre Society Annual Conference 2019, Oxford, United Kingdom.

    2018

    • Thinius, A. C. (2018). Caring in two modes of slowness: Existentialism and masculinities in Qu Xiao-Song’s Ji #3 and Bohren & der Club of Gore.. Paper presented at AS SLOWLY AS POSSIBLE, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
    • Thinius, A. C. (2018). Ethnopluralism and the concept of plurality: Continuities and discontinuities with ALT. Paper presented at 2018 OZSW Graduate Conference in Theoretical Philosophy, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
    • Thinius, A. C. (2018). If everything is violence is anything? Bodies and subjectivities as candidates for structural violence.. Paper presented at ASCA International Workshop 2018: Dissecting Violence, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
    • Thinius, A. C. (2018). Social kinds, Hermeneutics, and Historical Essentialism: Bach, Mikkola, Stone. 15. Paper presented at Summer University 2018: The Biological and the Social between 1900 and Today , Budapest, Hungary.

    2016

    • Thinius, A. C. (2016). Diversity and Essence: How to rethink essentialism with Jean-Luc Nancy. Paper presented at The Future of Diversity, Tübingen, Germany.

    2015

    • Thinius, A. C. (2015). Perspectivism – Old wine in a new bottle? A philosophical view on the 'ontological turn' in cultural anthropology. Paper presented at OZSW Graduate Conference Theoretical Philosophy, Nijmegen, Netherlands.

    2014

    • Thinius, A. C. (2014). Pornographic Artefacts and Porn: Social recognition and successful intentions. Poster session presented at OZSW conference 2014, Nijmegen, .

    2017

    • Thinius, A. C. (Composer), Liesenfeld, J. (Composer), de Jong, N. (Designer), & Lütke, S. (Producer). (2017). Aleion: inzwischen. Digital or Visual Products, Fattoria Musica Records.

    Award

    Membership

    • Thinius, A. (2017-2019). Representative for ASCA at AIHR PhD council, and board member of ASCA., .
    • Thinius, A. (2012-2021). Associate member, Zentrum für Wissenschaftstheorie (ZfW), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.

    Talk / presentation

    • Thinius, A. (speaker) (16-9-2022). Gender as Genre, Purple Brains, Nijmegen.
    • Thinius, A. (invited speaker) (3-7-2018). Rethinking gender and sexuality: What does it mean to be of a particular gender?, LOVA Summer School 2018 'Unschooling the Anthropologist', Amsterdam.
    • Thinius, A. (speaker) (14-7-2017). A kinder essentialism of gender? Gender classes, historical essentialism, and the meaning of sharing, Philosophy and Public Affairs colloquium, Department of Philosophy, University of Amsterdam. http://aihr.uva.nl/content/events/events/2017/06/ppa-thinius.html

    Others

    • Thinius, A. (organiser), Nadkarni, D. (organiser), Vaid-Menon, A. (participant) & Adamczak, B. (participant) (14-5-2020). The Poetics and Politics of Sharing. There are many aspects of sharing and ways in which we can share: Affect, stories, words can be shared; experience can be shared; instagram posts can (…) (organising a conference, workshop, ...). https://www.nica-institute.com/the-poetics-and-politics-of-sharing/
    • Thinius, A. (visiting researcher) (1-9-2019 - 31-12-2019). Massachusetts Institute of Technology (visiting an external institution).
    • Nadkarni, D. (organiser), Thinius, A. (organiser) & de Vries, N. (organiser) (10-4-2019 - 12-4-2019). ASCA International Workshop 2019 "Realities and Fantasies: Relations, Transformations, Discontinuities", Amsterdam (organising a conference, workshop, ...). https://realitiesfantasies.wordpress.com/
    • Thinius, A. (participant) (21-11-2018). Postgraduate Seminar Philosophy, Sheffield. Paper presentation "Genders as types in pre-conceptual experience. Heinämaa's essential gender types and the influence of concepts on the (…) (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).
    • Thinius, A. (visiting researcher) (23-9-2018 - 20-12-2018). University of Sheffield (visiting an external institution).
    • Kornel, A. (participant) & Thinius, A. (participant) (17-9-2017). "einfach, leicht, minimal? Simplizität in der Musik." Symposium of the Dachverband der Studierenden der Musikwissenschaften (DSVM) and the Department for Musicology at Münster University., Münster. Guitar performance of 'Ji#3 (Silent Mountain)' for Attila Kornel's paper "Chinesische Stille als musikalische Simplizität am Beispiel von 'Ji #3 (…) (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).

    2021

    This list of publications is extracted from the UvA-Current Research Information System. Questions? Ask the library or the Pure staff of your faculty / institute. Log in to Pure to edit your publications. Log in to Personal Page Publication Selection tool to manage the visibility of your publications on this list.
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