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Weber, who is now 40, was almost destined to develop a perspective that reached beyond Europe: “I was born to Swiss parents in South Africa. After I came back to Switzerland, people used to ask me about my native country’s apartheid regime, which led me to take an early interest in non-European politics.” Weber’s main research areas include the study of political philosophy in China, where much of the relevant intellectual discourse is subject to pressure from the country’s Communist Party (CPC). One thing he is interested in is the background behind current local research in the discipline, which is controlled by the CPC: “Certain interpretations of Confucianism and other strands of philosophy do raise questions as to the party’s hidden agenda. In many cases, you’ll find philosophy being used as a means to a political end.” However, he is convinced that China shares some of its concerns with Europe, such as environmental protection or the peaceful coexistence of different religions. In addition, he feels that the dissimilarities between Chinese and European philosophy are often exaggerated.
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