Hybrid | Freedom and Ideological Oppression

Speaker: Dr. Michael Garnett, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy (Kings College London)

Chair: George Letsas, Professor of Philosophy of Law (UCL Laws)

What is it to be rendered politically unfree by one’s own beliefs? It is sometimes claimed, both in political theory and in broader political discourse, that particular individuals or groups are ideologically oppressed, i.e., that they lack some meaningful kind of freedom in virtue of holding certain descriptive or evaluative beliefs. Despite renewed attention to the idea of ideology in recent political theory, however, this claim about freedom is not one that has been explicitly explored or defended. This, I argue, is a problem, for it turns out that there is no contemporary theory of freedom or autonomy that is well positioned to make sense of such claims, by providing a clear and plausible analysis of what it would take for them to be true. In this talk I attempt to remedy the situation. I advance a novel analysis of freedom as interpersonal nonsubjection and show how it might be used to deepen our understanding of personal freedom in contexts of ideologically distorted belief.

Michael Garnett is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at King’s College London. He is interested in a variety of issues related to freedom and autonomy, including coercion, manipulation, indoctrination, ideology, oppression and domination. He is currently writing a book on the nature of internal or psychological freedom.

UCL200 marks the bicentenary of University College London — 200 years since our founding in 1826 and our legacy of pioneering education, research, and community.

Throughout 2026, UCL will host a vibrant programme of events and activities celebrating our founding values, our global impact, our communities, and our vision for the future. Visit the UCL200 website to explore the full programme and learn how you can get involved.

To see how UCL Laws is contributing to this landmark year — with events, stories, and initiatives highlighting two centuries of legal scholarship and impact — visit the UCL Laws UCL200 page.

Photo by Jackson Simmer on Unsplash

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