Dr Alexander Thomas
BA Media Production Programme Leader
Programme Leader
Media, Fashion & Communications
Department of Media, Fashion & Communications , School Of Arts And Creative Industries
Dr Alexander Thomas is a multi-award-winning film director and screenwriter. His academic research questions what it means to be human when cultural, cybernetic and biotechnological developments undermine the notion of the human as a cogent and eternal category.
Qualifications
- BA Hons 1st Class – English Literature and Philosophy, University of Wales, Cardiff
- M.Litt. Distinction – Creative Writing, University of St Andrews
- M.A. Distinction – Directing for Television and Film, University of Westminster
- PhD - University of East London
Areas Of Interest
- Filmmaking
- Transhumanism and posthumanism
- Critical theory
OVERVIEW
Alexander has directed four multi-award winning short films including Beverley which screened at over 100 international festivals and events, won 38 awards and was longlisted for an Oscar. Alexander is the host and producer of the A-Z of the Future Podcast which explores 26 key topics of our times to provide a better understanding of our future and includes interviews with global thought leaders.
He co-runs the company IntoTheFuture which develops creative projects designed to entertain, educate and inspire on future related themes. He has contributed chapters to books, written numerous articles and reviews and has featured on Radio 4’s Thinking Allowed. His first book, titled The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism: Techno-human Evolution and Advanced Capitalism will be published in 2024 by Bristol University Press.
PUBLICATIONS
- Forthcoming book: The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism: Techno-human Evolution and Advanced Capitalism, Bristol University Press.
- Thomas, A. 2022 'Transhumanism and Advanced Capitalism: Elitist Logics and Dangerous Implications' in Humanism and Its Discontents (edited by Paul Jorion), London: Palgrave
- Thomas, A. 2021 'The Question of Agency for Postdigital Humans' in Postdigital Humans (edited by Maggi Savin-Baden), London: Springer
- Thomas, A. 2020. 'On Progress and Reason: Stories of Gods, Animals and Humans'. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. 41 (3/4), pp. 331-347.
- Thomas, A. 2020. 'Review of Francesca Ferrando, Philosophical Posthumanism' Theory, Culture and Society.
- Thomas, A., 2019, Eric Cantona's 'science will make us eternal' speech was funny – but he has a point, in The Conversation.
- BBC, 2019 'Immortality – Transhumanism – Immortality' on BBC Radio 4, Thinking Allowed.
- Thomas, A. 2018. 'Review: Feenberg, Technosystem: The Social Life of Reason' Theory, Culture and Society.
- Thomas, A., 2017, 'Super-intelligence and eternal life: transhumanism's faithful follow it blindly into a future for the elite' in The Conversation.
Media
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BA (Hons) Media Production
Discover media production at UEL, where industry-focused courses and expert staff prepare you for dynamic careers in media and communications.
Find out more about this coursePublications
The last four years of publications can be viewed below.
Full publications list
Visit the research repository to view a full list of publications
- Transcendent Conformity: The Question of Agency for Postdigital Humans in: Savin-Baden, M. (ed.) Postdigital Humans: Transitions, Transformations and Transcendence. Springer, pp.169-185
- Review of Francesca Ferrando, ‘Philosophical Posthumanism’ Theory, Culture and Society Website Reviews
- On Progress and Reason: Stories of Gods, Animals and Humans International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. 41 (3/4), pp. 331-347. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-09-2019-0179
- Review: Feenberg, Technosystem: The Social Life of Reason Theory, Culture and Society Website Reviews