Luke Brunning
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lukebrunning.bsky.social
Luke Brunning
@lukebrunning.bsky.social
2.6K followers 1.3K following 260 posts
Academic philosopher interested in intimate relationships and emotions.
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lukebrunning.bsky.social
Happy publication day to my new textbook with @nmckeever3.bsky.social

This has been a long time in the making and @politybooks.bsky.social have been fantastic throughout the whole process. 🥂
A picture of the book The philosophy of love, sex, and relationships on a shelf.
November 7, 2025 at 3:21 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
This conference on asexualities at @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social is going to be amazing!
Purple conference poster for asexualities conference in Berlin, 6-7th December. Conference programme.
October 30, 2025 at 5:33 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Breaking: horses to lead press conference on stable door bolting. More as we have it.
Guardian headline reading ‘Keir Starmer to launch progressive fightback against 'decline and division' fuelled by far right’
September 23, 2025 at 8:59 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
UK to recognise Palestinian state unless Palestinian state recognised as Palestinian state.
Headline reading ‘UK to recognise Palestinian statehood in September unless Israel agrees ceasefire and two-state solution, Starmer says’
July 29, 2025 at 5:24 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Great to see the Turkish edition of Romantic Agency in the flesh!
July 24, 2025 at 1:45 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
What lovely blurbs on my forthcoming textbook with @nmckeever3.bsky.social!
‘Brunning and McKeever bring clear and insightful philosophical analysis to emerging topics such as asexuality and relationship anarchy as well as to classic topics such as (morally) good sex and the nature of romantic love. Engaging, timely, and philosophically rich!’ Elizabeth Brake, Professor of Philosophy  at University of Wisconsin-Madison ‘A really helpful book! Brunning and McKeever cover a lot of ground, with a keen eye for how these crucial conversations have been changing in recent years. Their writing is clear and accessible. This will be a great resource for anyone looking to get up to speed in this area of philosophy.’ Carrie Jenkins, Professor of Philosophy at University of British Columbia, and author of Sad Love: Romance and the Search for Meaning ‘Luke Brunning and Natasha McKeever have written a book on intimacy, love, and sex that feels contemporary and relevant to students' lives while also being deeply anchored in current scholarship and debates. Avoiding clichés and antiquated assumptions about what relationships and intimacy look like in today's world, the authors offer rich philosophical tools for the rigorous exploration of some of the most personal and difficult-to-discuss topics we encounter in daily life.’ Quill Rebecca Kukla, Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University, and author of Sex Beyond “Yes”: Pleasure and Agency for Everyone
July 23, 2025 at 9:40 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
My time visiting @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social was so productive. I learnt a lot about how intimacy is studied in the contemporary German, Italian, and French traditions. @manongarcia.bsky.social and others have built a vibrant intellectual community. Visit if you can!
A sign with an arrow reading ‘philosophy’.
May 25, 2025 at 8:33 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
I’m off to Berlin for two lovely events exploring the philosophy of intimate life.
A poster for the book workshop exploring Federica Gregoratto’s book Love Troubles. A poster for a conference on Sexual Agency.
May 20, 2025 at 1:55 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Romantic Agency was published a year ago!
A hazy Polaroid with a picture of the book Romantic Agency on a shelf.
May 10, 2025 at 7:50 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Thank you to everyone who came to my #philfortnight2025 talk exploring some of the ethical dimensions of dating apps! The questions were interesting and challenging, and will help me develop my project further.
A picture of Luke Brunning giving a talk in front of a slide showing logos of many different dating apps.
March 21, 2025 at 8:39 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Here is the abstract for the talk.
A poster with the abstract for my talk which reads: ‘Dating apps have transformed how we pursue intimacy. Millions of people use them, and they have become the single most popular venue to interact with others. Dating apps make it easier to date, to date as ourselves, and to date on our own terms. But enthusiasm for the apps is under strain, and Match Group has seen a decline in younger users. At the heart of this layered frustration is the sense that dating apps work for corporations, and not so much for us; that we are missing out on an opportunity for this revolutionary technology to actually support, even extend, our intimate agency. In this talk I explore some of the ethical issues arising from use of dating apps, consider some ways we might solve them, and ask whether there could be an ethical dating app.’
March 19, 2025 at 10:56 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
As part of British Philosophy Fortnight I’ll be talking about my project exploring the ethics of dating apps. #philosophymatters #philfortnight2025
March 19, 2025 at 10:56 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Here is how I understand some of the core principles of relationship anarchy.
Text reading ‘Relationship anarchy core values, according to Dr Luke Brunning Autonomy: the idea that intimacy and relationships should be pursued actively, on our terms, rather than passively and on terms shaped by others or society. Cooperation: working together, in a direct and immediate way, to support each other in building relationships and sustaining community. Voluntary agreement: placing value in reaching agreement, even consensus, about how to arrange our time and resources.’ Text reading ‘State-scepticism: the belief that intimacy need not be regulated or supported by the state, or patrolled by the police. Openness: Wariness of overly exclusive approaches to intimacy, possessiveness, or restrictive visions of relationships. 'Prefiguration': the idea that the best way to build better relationships is to strive to be a good person here and now; radicalism cannot license poor behaviour or experimentation at the expense of other people.’
March 17, 2025 at 8:51 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Today is the start of British Philosophy Fortnight! #philofortnight2025 #philosophymatters
A poster reading ‘British Philosophy Fortnight’ with the hashtag #philofortnight2025 A poster with text reading ‘Asking big questions, and learning to think critically, can be transformative for anyone. There is so much fantastic philosophy in the UK, both in universities and beyond, but this is often not recognised. The British Philosophical Association has established this fortnight of events and discussion to raise awareness about the enduring value of philosophical thinking. Find out more information on their website, and on the hashtag #philosophymatters’
March 17, 2025 at 8:38 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
I was sent this email. It might be more interesting to some of you than it is to me…
An Amazon notice saying that ‘Does Monogamy Work?’ by Luke Brunning is available for 31% off at the bargain price of £8.99
February 23, 2025 at 11:43 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
I co-organise @clsrleeds.bsky.social If you’re interested in the philosophy of love, intimacy, and relationships in the broadest sense then check us out.
A screenshot of the Bluesky profile of the Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships at the University of Leeds.
November 17, 2024 at 8:14 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
A nice coincidence to be lecturing about gender-affirming healthcare today, during Trans Awareness Week.
A sticker on a shelf which reads ‘transphobia rots your brain’
November 14, 2024 at 2:20 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
I’m looking forward to speaking at this workshop later in the week.
September 10, 2024 at 8:19 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Today Romantic Agency is published in the USA by @politybooks.bsky.social

I’m excited that the book might gain new readers.

My goal in writing it was to spark discussion. How can we nurture the kinds of agency required to be intimate on our own terms?
July 16, 2024 at 11:16 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Cats have great taste in books.
A tabby cat standing behind a copy of the book Romantic Agency.
May 13, 2024 at 9:02 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Romantic Agency is published today, by @politybooks.bsky.social!
May 10, 2024 at 11:29 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Romantic Agency - published this Friday by @politybooks.bsky.social
A picture of the book Romantic Agency by Luke Brunning.
May 8, 2024 at 3:15 PM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
My book now has physical form, and will be coming soon. Out May 10th from @politybooks.bsky.social and available to pre-order now.
A stack of the book Romantic Agency by Luke Brunning.
April 18, 2024 at 9:08 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
My book, Romantic Agency, will be published with @politybooks.bsky.social on 10th of May (in the UK). 🥂📚
March 14, 2024 at 7:06 AM
lukebrunning.bsky.social
Christmas reading.
December 23, 2023 at 11:17 AM