Douglas Giles

Dr. Douglas Giles is a philosopher by trade and temperament. For more than 20 years and across three countries, Dr. Giles has taught philosophy to university students. He has taught part-time so he can enjoy greater academic freedom. Uninterested in the insular ivory tower, he devotes his time to research and producing articles and videos for the general public that connect real philosophy with real life for real people.

He studied philosophy and religious studies at the University of Minnesota and earned his PhD in social-political philosophy at the University of Essex in England. He’s a philosopher who looks at the larger picture and the complexities of society. Rather than reacting to current events, he seeks to identify their causes and the social forces and attitudes behind them. His research helps us better understand social injustices, how people work for greater recognition, and how individuals construct and maintain personal identities and social meanings.

His books include How We Are and How We Got Here: A Practical History of Western Philosophy; Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and Power: The Core Dynamics of Political Action; and the newly published Getting Beyond Trump.

In classrooms, books, papers, online articles, videos, and podcasts, Dr. Giles facilitates discussion that digs deeper into holistic and meaningful ideas that deal with causes rather than symptoms.

Also, Douglas has been a radio disc jockey since 1997 and since 2003 has managed the Internet radio station World Fusion Radio. In 2018, he moved to Prague with his spouse, a professional editor.