Roman Krznaric

Roman Krznaric is a British-Australian social philosopher. He is known for exploring how ideas shape society. He is best known for The Good Ancestor (2020), Empathy (2014), and Carpe Diem Regained (2017). His books have been translated into over 25 languages. Krznaric is a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University's Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing and founder of the world's first Empathy Museum.

Roman Krznaric was born in Sydney and spent his childhood in both Australia and Hong Kong. He then went on to study at the universities of Oxford, London, and Essex, where he earned a Phd in political science. Before becoming an author, he worked in Guatemala on human rights, a subject that inspired his early book, What the Rich Don't Tell the Poor (2007). He also spent time as a gardener, conversation activist, and university lecturer. He is a member of the Club of Rome and a Research Fellow at the Long Now Foundation.

Krznaric's books are widely read among educators, campaigners and social reformers. He regularly speaks at public events, from TED Global to prisons and design forums. He also plays real tennis and explores the sport's legacy in The First Beautiful Game (2006).

His latest book, History for Tomorrow: Inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity (2024), is a bold reflection on one thousand years of global history. The book confidently explores how past societies tackled challenges such as inequality, ecological stress and threats to democracy. Krznaric's argument is clear: we must learn from the past to guide our actions today. History is not just a way of understanding the past; it is a way of reimagining our relationship with the future.

He draws from a wide range of sources. The book boldly compares slave revolts in the Caribbean with today's climate protests and connects Edo-period Japan to modern ideas of sustainable economics. He also links London's 18th-century coffee houses to the rise of social media. These historical examples are presented as a means to inspire change, not as models to be copied.

Reviewers have described the book as hopeful and thought-provoking. George Monbiot called it "enlightening and thrilling". The Guardian named it Book of the Week, calling it timely and vital. Historian Michael Wood described it as "a calm but urgent rebuke to our culture of limitless desire". Krznaric's book definitively shows that "change really is possible".

He continues to write and lecture from the UK.

Photo credit: www.romankrznaric.com