Eyal Soffer

Eyal Soffer is a postgraduate research student at ARU and a specialist in the relationship between Machiavellian political theory and science fiction and fantasy literature. His research focuses on major genre series by Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, George R. R. Martin, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Kameron Hurley.

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Background

Eyal Soffer holds a BA in Hebrew and English Literature and an MA in English Literature. His MA thesis explored the Machiavellian roots of Frank Herbert’s Dune. Now in his sixth year as a postgraduate research student at Anglia Ruskin University, his research investigates the influence of Machiavellian thought on science fiction and fantasy series by authors including Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, George R. R. Martin, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Kameron Hurley.

Alongside his research, Soffer brings extensive teaching experience, having taught in Israeli high schools for many years and, for the past thirteen years, English as a Foreign Language at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Spoken Languages

• Hebrew

Research interests

• Machiavellian political thought and its influence on literature
• Political theory in science fiction and fantasy
• Power, leadership, and statecraft in speculative fiction
• Machiavelli and modern narrative forms
• Science fiction and fantasy series by Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, George R. R. Martin, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Kameron Hurley
• Politics, ideology, and ethics in speculative fiction

Qualifications

• PhD (in progress), English Literature, Anglia Ruskin University
• MA, English Literature, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
• MA, English Literature, Tel Aviv University
• BA, English Literature and Hebrew Literature, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Teaching Diploma in English and Literature, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Selected recent publications

Soffer, E. (2024) ‘Machiavelli in space: princely attributes in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation’, Foundation, 53(147), pp. 32–45.

Soffer, E. (2022) ‘The Dune universe and sexual violence: an ongoing struggle’, SFRA Review, 52(3), pp. 129–135.