I am a writer and critic based in London, and author of several books including Nervous States: How Feeling Took Over the World and This Is Not Normal: The Collapse of Liberal Britain. My next book will be The Reaction Economy: Searching for Humanity in an Age of Screens, to be published by Princeton University Press in April 2027. I am a Contributing Editor at London Review of Books, Emeritus Professor at Goldsmiths, and a Visiting Senior Fellow at London School of Economics.
For the 2026-27 year, I hold an Open Society Fellowship to pursue a research project about the ideologies and practices of those living outside of the labour market.
My books cover a range of topics spanning economics, psychology, populism, technology and history of ideas. I’ve written on these topics for publications including The Guardian, The New York Times, The New Statesman, N+1 and The Atlantic. I am a regular guest on podcasts and radio.
I am represented by Karolina Sutton at CAA.
Contact me: williamdavies10[at]gmail.com
