Professor Jonathan Havercroft

  • Professor in International Relations (Political & International Studies)

email: Jonathan.Havercroft@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns: He/him/his

42 Bute Gardens, Glasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland, United Kingdom, G12 8RT

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0995-8912

Biography

Jonathan Havercroft is Professor of International Relations and Head of the International Relations Subject Group at the University of Glasgow. His research sits at the intersection of political theory and international relations, with particular focus on democratic theory, political violence, and the normative foundations of global order. He is internationally recognised for his work on sovereignty, civil disobedience, and the political theory of riots.

Havercroft is the author of two monographs with Cambridge University Press: Stanley Cavell’s Democratic Perfectionism: Community, Individuality, and Post-Truth Politics (2023), which explores Cavell’s contributions to democratic theory in the context of contemporary political crises, and Captives of Sovereignty (2011), a critical engagement with the concept of sovereignty in international political thought. His article “Why is there no just riot theory?” won the British Academy’s Brian Barry Prize in Political Science and has catalysed a broader research agenda on the ethics of militant protest.

He was the Principal Investigator (2023 - 2025) on the British Academy-funded grant Policing Protest: An Analysis of Public Assembly Rights and Anti-Riot Technology in the U.K., U.S.A., and Brazil, which combines normative theory with empirical research on protest policing. He is co-authoring a new book, Policing Dissent, under consideration with multiple academic presses based on the research from this project.

Havercroft’s work has appeared in leading journals including the British Journal of Political Science, Political Theory, International Studies Quarterly, Review of International Studies, Constellations, and Journal of International Political Theory. He served as editor at the journal Global Constitutionalism from 2016 - 2025. He has held fellowships from the British Academy, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh, and the Canadian Department of National Defence.

He has delivered over 15 invited and keynote lectures since 2020, and has held academic appointments in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he has supervised multiple PhD students and led degree programmes across three institutions. He has won university wide awards in recognition of his teaching at both the University of Oklahoma and the University of Southampton.

Research interests

Jonathan Havercroft’s research lies at the intersection of international relations and political theory, with a focus on how global norms, protest practices, and political violence shape and challenge the foundations of international order. His work combines normative theorising with empirical analysis to examine how concepts such as sovereignty, resistance, and legitimacy are contested across transnational contexts.

He is currently leading three major research projects. The first, funded by the British Academy, investigates the policing of protest in the UK, US, and Brazil. This project includes: a grounded normative theory paper comparing activist attitudes toward punishment with academic theories of civil disobedience; a study of the transnational diffusion of the police tactic of kettling; and a critical analysis of how protest event databases code violence by police and protesters. These studies aim to reshape how scholars and policymakers understand the regulation of public assembly in democratic and authoritarian settings alike.

His second project is a monograph on the political theory of riots, which builds on his award-winning article “Why is there no just riot theory?” (British Journal of Political Science). The book develops a normative framework for evaluating riots as a form of political communication and resistance.

The third project is a more generalist book on protest, civil disobedience, and resistance. It integrates insights from political theory with close readings of landmark protest events from the 20th and 21st centuries, offering a comparative and historically grounded account of direct action.

Research groups

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2025
Number of items: 2.

2025

Wiener, Antje, Shaw, Jo, Havercroft, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0995-8912, Kang, Susan and Law, Stephanie (2025) Contested compliance of obligations under international law: a take from Global Constitutionalism. Global Constitutionalism, 14(1), pp. 1-12. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381725000024)

Havercroft, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0995-8912 and Kang, Susan L. (2025) Constructing normative foundations: Stanley Cavell, social constructivism, and Public Assembly Rights in the U.S. and the U.K. In: Gholiagha, Sassan, Orchard, Phil and Weiner, Antje (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Norms Research. Oxford University Press, pp. 394-406. (In Press)

This list was generated on Wed Nov 5 13:11:59 2025 GMT.
Jump to: Articles | Book Sections
Number of items: 2.

Articles

Wiener, Antje, Shaw, Jo, Havercroft, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0995-8912, Kang, Susan and Law, Stephanie (2025) Contested compliance of obligations under international law: a take from Global Constitutionalism. Global Constitutionalism, 14(1), pp. 1-12. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381725000024)

Book Sections

Havercroft, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0995-8912 and Kang, Susan L. (2025) Constructing normative foundations: Stanley Cavell, social constructivism, and Public Assembly Rights in the U.S. and the U.K. In: Gholiagha, Sassan, Orchard, Phil and Weiner, Antje (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Norms Research. Oxford University Press, pp. 394-406. (In Press)

This list was generated on Wed Nov 5 13:11:59 2025 GMT.

Prior publications

Article

Jonathan Havercroft, Alice Kloker (2024) A constitution for the ocean? An agora on ocean governance Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381723000138)

Stephanie Law, Jo Shaw, Jonathan Havercroft, Susan Kang, Antje Wiener (2024) Private law, private international law and public interest litigation Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381724000017)

Jonathan Havercroft (2024) A Moving Image of Scepticism: Cavell on Film, Gender, and Gaslighting Journal of Social and Political Philosophy Crossref. (doi: 10.3366/jspp.2024.0069)

Susan Kang, Jonathan Havercroft, Jacob Eisler, Antje Wiener, Jo Shaw (2023) Climate change and the challenge to liberalism Global Constitutionalism Crossref. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381722000314)

Jonathan Havercroft (2023) The Injustices of global justice scholarship European Journal of Political Theory University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1177/14748851211000604)

Jacob Eisler, Jonathan Havercroft, Jo Shaw, Antje Wiener, Susan Kang (2022) The pendulum swings back Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381722000028)

Jonathan Havercroft (2021) The British Academy Brian Barry prize essay why Is there no just riot theory? British Journal of Political Science University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S000712342000085X)

John Boswell, Jack Corbett, Jonathan Havercroft (2020) Politics and science as a vocation: can academics save us from post-truth politics? Political Studies Review University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1177/1478929919875065)

Jonathan Havercroft (2020) Review Essay: Rethinking Sovereignty in an Era of Resurgent Nationalism and Populism Political Theory University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1177/0090591719900223)

Ilan Zvi Baron, Jonathan Havercroft, Isaac A. Kamola, Jonneke Koomen, Alex Prichard (2020) Flipping the academic conference, or how we wrote a peer-reviewed journal article in a day Alternatives University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1177/0304375419898577)

Anteje Weiner, Jonathan Havercroft, Jeffrey L. Dunoff, Mattias Kumm, Kriszta Kovacs (2019) Global constitutionalism as agora: interdisciplinary encounters, cultural recognition and global diversity – corrigendum Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381719000145)

Jonathan Havercroft, Justin Murphy (2018) Is the Tea Party libertarian, authoritarian, or something else? Social Science Quarterly University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1111/ssqu.12495)

Jonathan Havercroft, Alex Prichard (2017) Anarchy and International Relations theory: A reconsideration Journal of International Political Theory Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 1755-0882 (doi: 10.1177/1755088217719911)

Jonathan Havercroft, Raymond Duvall (2017) Challenges of an Agonistic Constructivism for International Relations Polity Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 0032-3497 (doi: 10.1086/689978)

Jonathan Havercroft, David Owen (2016) Soul-blindness, police orders and Black Lives Matter: Wittgenstein, Cavell, and Rancière Political Theory University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1177/0090591716657857)

Jonathan Havercroft (2015) John G. Gunnell: Social Inquiry after Wittgenstein and Kuhn: Leaving Everything as It Is. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2014. Pp. xviii, 256.) The Review of Politics Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 0034-6705 (doi: 10.1017/s0034670515000765)

Jonathan Havercroft (2014) Book Review: Reasoning: A Social Picture, by Anthony Simon LadenReasoning: A Social Picture, by LadenAnthony Simon. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2012. pp. 283. Political Theory Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 0090-5917 (doi: 10.1177/0090591714535033)

Jonathan Havercroft (2012) Book review. Appeals to interest: language, contestation, and the shaping of political agency, by Dean Mathiowetz Perspectives on Politics University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S1537592712000497)

Jonathan Havercroft (2012) Terror and territory: The spatial extent of sovereignty Contemporary Political Theory Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 1470-8914 (doi: 10.1057/cpt.2010.48)

Jonathan Havercroft (2012) Was Westphalia ‘all that’? Hobbes, Bellarmine, and the norm of non-intervention Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381711000104)

William Gorton, Jonathan Havercroft (2012) Using Historical Simulations to Teach Political Theory Journal of Political Science Education Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 1551-2169 (doi: 10.1080/15512169.2012.641399)

Jonathan Havercroft, Edgar Morales, Iván Luna (2012) ¿Un tabú en las armas espaciales? un análisis genealógico de la no-proliferación de armas en el espacio Escenarios XXI University of Southampton.

Jonathan Havercroft (2011) Skinner, Wittgenstein and Historical Method Paragraph Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 0264-8334 (doi: 10.3366/para.2011.0031)

Jonathan Havercroft (2010) Political Thought and International Relations: Variations on a Realist Theme. Edited by Duncan Bell. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. 288p. $100.00 Perspectives on Politics Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 1537-5927 (doi: 10.1017/s1537592710001891)

Jonathan Havercroft (2010) The Fickle Multitude: Spinoza and the Problem of Global Democracy Constellations Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 1351-0487 (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8675.2009.00560.x)

Raymond Duvall, Jonathan Havercroft (2008) Taking sovereignty out of this world: space weapons and empire of the future Review of International Studies University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S0260210508008267)

Jonathan Havercroft (2007) Book review. Just dummies, by John Clearwater International Journal University of Southampton.

Jonathan Havercroft (2007) Review: Just DummiesJUST DUMMIESCruise Missile Testing in CanadaClearwaterJohnCalgary: University of Calgary Press, 2006. 283pp, $34.95 paper (ISBN 1-55238-211-7). International Journal: Canada's Journal of Global Policy Analysis Crossref Metadata Search. ISSN 0020-7020 (doi: 10.1177/002070200706200419)

Jonathan Havercroft (2001) Book review. Wittgenstein's philosophical investigations, by William H. Brenner Philosophy in Review University of Southampton.

() Liberal Pacification and the Phenomenology of Violence International Studies Quarterly Jonathan Havercroft. (doi: 10.1093/isq/sqy060)

Book

Jonathan Havercroft (2023) Stanley Cavell's democratic perfectionism University of Southampton. ISBN 9781009322546 (doi: 10.1017/9781009322546)

Jonathan Havercroft, Shirin Deylami (2015) The Politics of HBO's The Wire University of Southampton. ISBN 978-0-415-85410-8

Jonathan Havercroft (2011) Captives of sovereignty University of Southampton. ISBN 9781107012875

Jonathan Havercroft (2011) Captives of Sovereignty Crossref Metadata Search. ISBN 9781139003322 (doi: 10.1017/cbo9781139003322)

Book Section

Jonathan Havercroft (2023) Riots as the language of the unheard No Justice, No Police? University of Southampton. ISBN 9781789049459

Jonathan Havercroft (2023) Excuses, politics, pluralism Civic Freedom in an Age of Diversity University of Southampton. ISBN 9780228014300

David Owen, Jonathan Havercroft (2022) Ver aspectos, ceguera al alma y policia Filosofia y cambio social University of Southampton. ISBN 978-612-317-725-6

Jonathan Havercroft (2015) An inverted republicanism to resist an inverted totalitarianism: corruption as resistance in HBO’s The Wire Everything is Connected: The Politics of HBO’s The Wire University of Southampton.

Jonathan Havercroft (2012) Critical astropolitics Securing Outer Space: International Relations Theory and the Politics of Space University of Southampton. ISBN 978-0-415-62232-5

Jonathan Havercroft (2008) Sovereignty, recognition, and indigenous peoples Moral Limit and Possibility in World Politics University of Southampton. ISBN 9780521716208

Jonathan Havercroft (2003) On seeing liberty as The Grammar of Politics: Wittgenstein and Political Philosophy University of Southampton. ISBN 0801488389

Image

Jonathan Havercroft (2022) Just and unjust riots: University of Southampton. (doi: 10.5258/SOTON/PP0012)

Other

Jonathan Havercroft, Jacob Eisler, Antje Wiener, Jo Shaw, Val Napoleon (2020) Decolonising global constitutionalism Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381720000039)

Antje Wiener, Jonathan Havercroft, Jeffrey Dunoff, Mattias Kumm, Kriszta Kovacs (2019) Global constitutionalism as Agora: interdisciplinary encounters, cultural recognition and global diversity Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381719000030)

Jonathan Havercroft, Antje Wiener, Matthias Kumm, Jeffrey Dunoff (2018) Editorial: Donald Trump as global constitutional breaching experiment Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381718000035)

Mattias Kumm, Jonathan Havercroft, Jeffrey Dunoff, Antje Wiener (2017) Editorial: The end of 'the West' and the future of global constitutionalism Global Constitutionalism University of Southampton. (doi: 10.1017/S2045381717000077)

Jonathan Havercroft, Richard M. Price () Sovereignty, recognition and indigenous peoples Moral Limit and Possibility in World Politics Crossref Metadata Search. ISBN 9780511755897 (doi: 10.1017/cbo9780511755897.005)

Grants

 

  • Project Title: Policing Protest: An Analysis of Public Assembly Rights and Anti-Riot Technology in the U.K., U.S.A., and Brazil

    • Funder: British Academy (Knowledge Frontiers: International Interdisciplinary Research Grant)
    • Award Amount: £197,789.32
    • Date Held: 2023 - 2025
    • Role: Principal Investigator

  • Project Title: Just and Unjust Riots: A Normative Analysis of Militant Protest

    • Funder: British Academy (Mid-Career Fellowship)
    • Award Amount: £156,200
    • Date Held: 2020 - 2021
    • Role: Principal Investigator

  • Project Title: Security and Defence Forum Post-Doctoral Fellowship

    • Funder: Canadian Department of National Defence
    • Award Amount: $30,000 CAD
    • Date Held: 2006–2007

  • Project Title: Doctoral Fellowship

    • Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canada
    • Award Amount: $17,000 CAD
    • Date Held: 2003

 

Supervision

I welcome PhD proposals in international political theory and global politics, particularly those focused on protest, civil disobedience, and political violence. I am especially interested in supervising projects that explore the ethics of resistance, the policing of dissent, and the transnational diffusion of protest practices. I also support work that bridges normative theory and empirical research, including grounded normative approaches and studies of global norm contestation. Projects engaging with democratic theory, sovereignty, or the role of language and aesthetics in international relations are also encouraged.