Dr L. Silberzahn

I'm a political theorist exploring environmental issues from feminist and decolonial perspectives. Past projects have explored themes such as desensitization during catastrophic times, fear as critical resource for environmental thought and activism, and more-than-human care. 

I started as an Assistant Professor in Environmental and Political Philosophy at the University of Maastricht (FASoS), and joined the Globalization, Transnationalism and Development (GTD) research group since 2024. I am currently beginning a new project on the possibility of environmental justice and the politics of repair after nuclear colonialism.

Research interests:

• I’m interested in agency, the lack of agency, and powerlessness, particularly regarding the experience of feeling bad in the (so-called) Anthropocene. Drawing on feminist phenomenology, I explore how negative feelings can provide pathways to forms of social critique that are not yet sedimented and formulated.
• A second line of research concerns reparation as a crucial element of environmental justice. What does “repair” mean in a context where the scale and impact of threats has vastly expanded, challenging our ability to understand, measure, and respond effectively?
• Regarding more methodological questions, I aim to mobilize marginalized epistemologies and practices to challenge dominant narratives in political ecology. Specifically, I'm interested in how we can draw on activist archives and voices to inform a political theory that effectively addresses contemporary environmental challenges.