Kevin Hargaden, Ph.D.
Professor of the Practice
Professor of the Practice
Kevin Hargaden is a professor of the practice at the Institute for Social Concerns. He teaches theology courses that put Catholic social thought into dialogue with issues of contemporary society and particularly with questions of public policy.
Hargaden’s research interests center on the ways in which rich theological thought can fruitfully illuminate pressing social concerns. His first book, Theological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age (Cascade, 2018), was a theological account of the global financial crisis, focusing on Ireland as a test case. He co-wrote with Ciara Murphy The Parish as Oasis (Messenger, 2022), a practical introduction to care for our common home aimed at faith communities. His next monograph, contracted to be part of the acclaimed T&T Clark Enquiries in Theological Ethics series, is titled The Prison in the Bible: Power, Punishment, and the Christian Imagination.
Prior to coming to Notre Dame, Hargaden worked as social theologian and director of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ) in Dublin, Ireland. The JCFJ is a research institute dedicated to informing public policy with the wisdom of the Catholic social tradition. He taught at all three theological faculties in Dublin: Maynooth College, Dublin City University, and Trinity College, Dublin, where he co-created the M.Phil. in theology and social justice.
Hargaden secured his Ph.D. in theological ethics at the University of Aberdeen under the supervision of Brian Brock and Stanley Hauerwas. He also holds degrees in computer science, sociology, and management. He is completing his STL in moral theology.