Neil Vallelly, Our people, Sociology, Gender Studies and Criminology

BA, MA (Queen's University Belfast); PhD (Otago)

Lecturer

Contact details

Room 6C12, Richardson Building
Tel +64 3 479 3074
Email neil.vallelly@otago.ac.nz

Research interests

Neil's research crosses the areas of critical and social theory, political sociology, and border and migration studies, with a specific focus on neoliberalism.

His first book, Futilitarianism: Neoliberalism and the Production of Uselessness (2021), examined the historical relationship between capitalism and utilitarianism and the transformation of this relationship under neoliberalism. An Italian translation of the book, under the title Vite Rubate, was published in March 2022 and a Portuguese (Brazil) translation will be published in 2023.

In 2022, Neil was awarded a two-year Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship to work on a project on the relationship between neoliberalism and migrant incarceration in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. He is also developing several collaborative research projects on topics relating to social reproduction and essential work during the COVID‑19 pandemic, the history of migration policy in Aotearoa New Zealand, and the cultural politics of suicide in public.

Neil's research has appeared in academic journals such as Angelaki, Organization, Rethinking Marxism, and Poetics Today, he has written for media, including Jacobin, New Internationalist, and New Zealand Listener, and he has appeared on several radio shows and podcasts, such as BBC Radio 4's Thinking Allowed, A World to Win with Grace Blakeley, and New Books Network.

Neil is the co-editor (alongside Simon Barber) of the journal Counterfutures, a member of the Executive Committee for the Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy, and a researcher for Economic and Social Research Aotearoa.

Teaching

I co-ordinate:

SOCI 306 Public Sociology

I teach into:

SOCI 101 Sociology of New Zealand Society
SOCI 103 Crime, Deviance and Social Transformation

Areas of postgraduate supervision

Neoliberalism
Critical and Marxist theory
Borders
Migration
Social reproduction
Abolition practices

Publications

Vallelly, N. (2024). Ending neoliberalism. Critical Times, 7(2), 280-303. doi: 10.1215/26410478-11216984 Journal - Research Article

Vallelly, N. (2024). The eclipse. Counterfutures, 15, 174-178. [Commentary]. Journal - Research Other

Vallelly, N. (2024). Punching holes in history. Environment & Planning A. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/0308518x241285291 Journal - Research Other

Vallelly, N. (2023). The fictitious university. Counterfutures, 14, 10-18. doi: 10.11157/cf.v14.246 Journal - Research Other

Murtola, A.-M., & Vallelly, N. (2023). Visible and invisible work in the pandemic: Social reproduction and the ambivalent category of the essential worker. Journal of Gender Studies, 32(8), 887-897. doi: 10.1080/09589236.2023.2219979 Journal - Research Article

2024

Journal - Research Article

Vallelly, N. (2024). Ending neoliberalism. Critical Times, 7(2), 280-303. doi: 10.1215/26410478-11216984

Journal - Research Other

Vallelly, N. (2024). The eclipse. Counterfutures, 15, 174-178. [Commentary].

Vallelly, N. (2024). Punching holes in history. Environment & Planning A. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/0308518x241285291

2023

Journal - Research Article

Murtola, A.-M., & Vallelly, N. (2023). Who cares for wellbeing? Corporate wellness, social reproduction and the essential worker. Organization, 30(3), 510-527. doi: 10.1177/13505084221131642

Journal - Research Other

Vallelly, N. (2023). The fictitious university. Counterfutures, 14, 10-18. doi: 10.11157/cf.v14.246

Other Research Output

Vallelly, N. (2023, March). Borders and regimes of migrant detention. Migration: Past and Present. University of the Third Age, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

2022

Authored Book - Other

Vallelly, N. (2022). Vite Rubate: Dal sogno capitalista al futilitarismo [Translation of Futilitarianism: Neoliberalism and the production of uselessness]. Blu Atlantide, 240p.

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Vallelly, N. (2022). The World Cup should make us rethink our understanding of human rights. Jacobin, (11.21.2022). Retrieved from https://jacobin.com/2022/11/world-cup-human-rights-qatar-2022-economic-social-justice-migrant-workers

Vallelly, N. (2022). We need the great revolutions to open the path to freedom [Review of the book Revolution: An intellectual history]. Jacobin, (07.16.2022). Retrieved from https://jacobin.com/2022/07/enzo-traverso-revolution-intellectual-history-book-review

Vallelly, N. (2022). Koronavirüs on Yili: Post-Kapitalist Kâbus mu Yoksa Sosyalist Uyaniş Mi? [Translation of The coronavirus decade: Post-capitalist nightmare or socialist awakening?]. eleştirel pedagoji / Journal of Critical Pedagogy. Retrieved from http://elestirelpedagoji.com/?pnum=123&pt=65%20Neil%20Vallelly%20(%C3%A7eviri

Vallelly, N. (2022). Ein Aufruf, der fundamentalen Perspektivlosigkeit des neoliberalen Lebens die Kraft einer neuen Bewegung entgegenzusetzen. Es erhebe sich das Futilitariat! [Translation of Rejecting the existential futility of neoliberal life]. Die Aktion, 30(Februar). Retrieved from https://olaf.bbm.de/nummer-30-neil-vallelly-verweigert-euch

Vallelly, N. (2022). Assim chegamos à era do futilitarismo [Translation of Rejecting the existential futility of neoliberal life]. Outras Palavras, (14 January). Retrieved from https://outraspalavras.net/crise-civilizatoria/assimchegamos-a-era-do-futilitarismo

Vallelly, N. (2022). The politics of futility. New Internationalist, (March-April), 65-71.

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Vallelly, N. (2022). The border and the flesh. Proceedings of the Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy (ASCP) Annual Conference. (pp. 64-65). Retrieved from https://ascp.org.au/conference

Other Research Output

Vallelly, N. (2022, February). Neil Vallelly on precarity, debt, and how to overcome futilitarianism. Postcapitalism podcast. Retrieved from https://postcapitalismpodcast.com/neil-vallelly

Vallelly, N. (2022, February). Futilitarianism: Neoliberalism and the production of uselessness: An interview with Neil Vallelly. New Books in Education, New Books Network Podcast, hosted by Thomas Discenna. Retrieved from https://newbooksnetwork.com/futilitarianism

Vallelly, N. (2022, February). Futilitarianism: Neoliberalism and the production of uselessness. Plastic Pills: Philosophy & Critical Theory podcast. Retrieved from https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LVclNzlsdfLH6hCyhIlrV

2021

Authored Book - Research

Vallelly, N. (2021). Futilitarianism: Neoliberalism and the production of uselessness. London, UK: Goldsmiths Press.

Journal - Research Other

Vallelly, N. (2021). Human rights against human rights [Review of the book The morals of the market: Human rights and the rise of neoliberalism]. Counterfutures, 11, 142-153. doi: 10.26686/cf.v11.7357

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Vallelly, N. (2021). NEOLİBERAL YAŞAMIN VAROLUŞSAL AMAÇSIZLIĞINI REDDETMEK [Translation of Rejecting the existential futility of neoliberal life]. Soninsan, (16 Aralik). Retrieved from https://soninsan.com/yazi/50/neoliberal-yasamin-varolussal-amacsizligini-reddetmek--neil-vallelly

Vallelly, N. (2021). Rejecting the existential futility of neoliberal life. ROAR Magazine, (November 2). Retrieved from https://roarmag.org

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Murtola, A.-M., & Vallelly, N. (2021, September). Caring for wellbeing: Social reproduction and the politics of essential workers. Verbal presentation at the International Initiative for Promoting Political Economy (IIPPE) Annual Conference: The Pandemic and the Future of Capitalism, [Online].

Whyte, J., Vallelly, N., & Di Muzio, T. (2021, December). Neil Vallelly, Futilitarianism: Neoliberalism and the production of uselessness (Goldsmiths Press, 2021) [Book Panel]. Panel discussion at the Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy (ASCP) Conference, [Online].

Other Research Output

Vallelly, N. (2021, July). Bentham in the Beehive: Utilitarianism, neoliberalism, and the wellbeing budgets. The University of Auckland Critical Theory Network, Auckland, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

Vallelly, N. (2021, September). Bentham in the Beehive: Utilitarianism, neoliberalism and the wellbeing budgets. ESRA (Economic & Social Research Aotearoa), 21. Retrieved from https://esra.nz/bentham-beehive-utilitarianism-neoliberalism-wellbeing-budgets

Vallelly, N. (2021, November). Futilitarianism. PERC Goldsmiths Podcast with Will Davies. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/user-149686671/perc-podcast-with-neil-vallelly-futilitarianism

Vallelly, N. (2021, November). The futilitarian condition. This is Hell! Podcast. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/this-is-hell/tih20211130

Vallelly, N. (2021, June). Futilitarianism: What's the point? Radio New Zealand, Nights with Bryan Crump. Retrieved from https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2018801044/futilitarianism-what-s-the-point

Vallelly, N. (2021, November). Neoliberalism and the production of uselessness: An interview with Neil Vallelly. A World to Win Podcast, from Tribune and Grace Blakeley. Retrieved from https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/11/58-neoliberalism-and-the-production-of-uselessness-an-interview-with-neil-vallelly

2020

Chapter in Book - Research

Vallelly, N. (2020). Counting the cost: COVID-19 and the crisis of utilitarianism. In V. Lyon-Callo, Y. M. Madra, C. Özselçuk, J. Randall, M. Safri, C. Sato & B. W. Shear (Eds.), Pandemic and the crisis of capitalism: A rethinking Marxism dossier. (pp. 215-223). Boston, MA: ReMarx Books. Retrieved from http://rethinkingmarxism.org/Dossier2020

Journal - Research Other

Vallelly, N. (2020). The border and the pandemic. Social Anthropology / Anthropologie sociale, 28(2), 373-374. doi: 10.1111/1469-8676.12860

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Vallelly, N. (2020). Neoliberalism under threat: Coronoavirus and the return of the social. Discover Society, (1 April). Retrieved from https://archive.discoversociety.org/2020/04/01/neoliberalism-under-threat-coronavirus-and-the-return-of-the-social

Vallelly, N. (2020). The self-help myth. New Internationalist, (2 June). Retrieved from https://newint.org/features/2020/04/07/feature

Vallelly, N. (2020). The coronavirus decade: Post-capitalist nightmare or socialist awakening? ROAR Magazine, (May 3). Retrieved from https://roarmag.org

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Barber, S., Rākete, E., Rata, A., & Vallelly, N. (2020, November). Indigenous internationalism against regimes of race and deportation. Verbal presentation at the Social Movements, Resistance, & Social Change (SMRSC) Conference: Activating Collectivity: Aroha and Power, Wellington, New Zealand.

2019

Chapter in Book - Research

Vallelly, N. (2019). (Non-)belief in things: Affect theory and a new literary materialism. In S. Ahern (Ed.), Affect theory and literary critical practice: A feel for the text. (pp. 45-63). Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-97268-8_3

Vallelly, N. (2019). "The place was not a place": A critical phenomenology of forced displacement. In E. Champion (Ed.), The phenomenology of real and virtual places. (pp. 204-222). New York, NY: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315106267

Journal - Research Article

Vallelly, N. (2019). The relationality of disappearance. Angelaki, 24(3), 38-52. doi: 10.1080/0969725X.2019.1620450

Vallelly, N. (2019). From the margins of the neoliberal university: Notes toward nomadic literary studies. Poetics Today, 40(1), 59-79. doi: 10.1215/03335372-7259887

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Boochani, B., Tofighian, O., & Vallelly, N. (2019, June). Out of place: Reclaiming narratives of refugee incarceration. Panel discussion at the Philosophy Beyond the "Now", Auckland, New Zealand.

2018

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Vallelly, N. (2018). 'The place was not a place': A critical phenomenology of forced displacement. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy (ASCP). (pp. 95). Retrieved from https://www.ascp.org.au

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Vallelly, N. (2018, October). Re-thinking place in the age of global displacement: Lessons from phenomenology. Verbal presentation at the Spring School in Contemporary Phenomenology & Philosophy of Mind, Valparaiso, Chile.

Other Research Output

Vallelly, N. (2018, July). Re-thinking place in the age of global displacement: Lessons from literature and phenomenology. Department of English & Linguistics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Department Seminar].

2016

Journal - Research Article

Vallelly, N. (2016). Practicing disappearance: A postmodern methodology. Electronic Book Review. Retrieved from https://electronicbookreview.com/essay/practicing-disappearance-a-postmodern-methodology

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Vallelly, N. (2016). Double trouble. New Zealand Listener, (6 August), 32-33.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Vallelly, N. (2016, December). Sites of disappearance: Towards a phenomenology of traces. Verbal presentation at the Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy (ASCP) Conference, Melbourne, Australia.

2015

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Vallelly, N. (2015). Against visual culture: Towards a relationality of light. Proceedings of the Relationality Symposium. Retrieved from http://relationality2015.com/

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Vallelly, N. (2015, December). Memory in transit: The skill of way-making. Verbal presentation at the Memory Day Conference: Memory and Skill Across Time, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Vallelly, N. (2015, June). The disappearing act: Postmodernism and the possibilities of disappearance. Verbal presentation at the What [in the World] Was Postmodernism? SYMPOSIUM, Dunedin, New Zealand.

2014

Chapter in Book - Research

Vallelly, N. (2014). Light, the eye, and visual epistemologies in Love's Labour's Lost. In D. Lemonnier-Texier & G. Winter (Eds.), Lectures de Love's Labour's Lost de William Shapkespeare. (pp. 177-189). Presses universitaires de Rennes.