Fields: Political theory and history of political ideas.

Topics: Scottish Enlightenment, civil society, cultural recognition and diversity, human rights, culture of legality, republicanism, Latin American critical thought, pluriversal justice.

(By topic)

Critical Thinking, Rights; Ecosocial Justice; Latin America

• Wences Isabel (with Digno Montalván) (2026). «The Rights of Nature and The Right to Territory of Indigenous Peoples: Decolonizing Ecocentrism». In Jessika Eichler and Mario Aguilera (eds.) Indigenous Environmental Rights: Towards a Holistic Regime, Cambridge University Press.
• Wences Isabel (2026). Entry «Green Colonialism». Dictionary of Ecosocial Justice: Towards an Ecocentric Vocabulary. https://www.speak4nature.eu/es/diccionario/
• Wences Isabel (forthcoming, 2026), «Epistemic Disdain and Cognitive Extractivism as Persistent Forms of Colonialism», in Mario Ruiz (coord.), The Americas and Early Modernity, National Autonomous University of Mexico.
• Wences Isabel (with D. Montalván) (eds.) (2026), The “Echoes” of the Ecological Crisis in Political Thought: A Cartography, Tirant lo Blanch.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Víctor Alonso-Rocafort, Enara Echart Muñoz, Jon Sanz-Landaluce, Álvaro Ramírez, Luis Rico, Belén Rodríguez-Fonseca) (2026). «Towards Ecological Justice and Ecosystemic Commitment at the Complutense University of Madrid», in Ignacio Martínez et al. (eds.). The University in the Face of Ecosocial Challenges: Analysis, Proposals and Perspectives from the UCM 2030 Observatory. Ediciones Complutense.
• Wences Isabel (2026). «Ecofeminisms». In Digno Montalván and Isabel Wences (eds.), The “Echoes” of the Ecological Crisis in Political Thought: A Cartography, Tirant lo Blanch.
• Wences Isabel and Montalván, Digno, (2026). «Environmental Racism and Critical Environmental Justice: Power, Race and Nature». In Digno Montalván and Isabel Wences (eds.), The “Echoes” of the Ecological Crisis in Political Thought: A Cartography, Tirant lo Blanch.
• Wences Isabel (with Valeria Berros and Digno Montalván) (2025). «Introduction. Ecocentrisms and Rights: A Cartography of More-than-Human Jurisprudence». Isegoría. Journal of Moral and Political Philosophy, (72), 1592.
• Wences Isabel (2024), «Domination Takes on a Green Hue», Revista de Estudios Políticos, 204: 23-61. doi: https://doi.org/10.18042/cepc/rep.204.02.
• Wences Isabel (with Digno Montalván) (2024), «Politics and Law at the Ecological Crossroads (Introduction)». Revista de Estudios Políticos, 204: 13-21.
• Wences Isabel (forthcoming), «Epistemic Disdain and Cognitive Extractivism as Persistent Forms of Colonialism», in Mario Ruiz (coord.), The Americas and Early Modernity, National Autonomous University of Mexico.
• Wences Isabel (2023): «Feminisms, Oppressions and Interwoven Voices from the Global South. Indigenous Women and Philosophical-Political Challenges», Working Papers, no. 77 (2nd series), Madrid: Fundación Carolina.
• Wences Isabel (with Digno Montalván) (2023), «Energy Transition and Lithium. New “Commons” and Other Forms of Extractivism», Oñati Socio-Legal Series, special issue "Emerging Rights and Commons in the Global South". DOI.ORG/10.35295/OSLS.IISL.1765
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with MariaCaterina La Barbera), (2023) «The Polysemy of Gender Discrimination in the IACtHR Jurisprudence: Towards the Elimination of Structural Gender Discrimination Through Transformative Reparations», European Journal of Legal Studies. 15(1): 167-201.
• Wences Isabel (with Digno Montalván) (coords.) (2023), Justice Behind the Justice. Political Ideas and Values in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Madrid: Marcial Pons.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Anna Margherita Russo) (2023), «Indigenous Peoples in the Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: The Approach to Cultural Diversity between Recognition Theory and the Right to Communal Property», in Montalván-Zambrano, Digno and Wences Isabel (coords.), Justice Behind the Justice. Political Ideas and Values in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Madrid: Marcial Pons, pp. 225-257.
• Wences Isabel (with Digno Montalván) (2022), «Towards a Decolonial Interpretation of Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Territory in International Human Rights Law: Beyond Property and Cartography», Ius et Praxis, 28(3): 61-84.
• Wences Isabel (2022), «Corruption as Epistemic Harm and Cognitive Extractivism in Critical, Peripheral and Anti-Colonial Thought», in Isabel Wences (ed.), Corruption. Readings from Contemporary Political Thought, Granada: Comares.
• Wences Isabel (2021), «Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples. Readings from Nancy Fraser’s Theory of Justice», Araucaria. Ibero-American Journal of Philosophy, Politics, Humanities and International Relations, 23(46).
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Ruth Martinón), (2021) «Impunity and Gender-Based Violence. The Case of Fernández Ortega et al. v. Mexico before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights», in M. Yadira Robles and Eduardo Román (coords.), Mexico before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: 20 Years after the Acceptance of its Contentious Jurisdiction, Mexico City: Tirant lo Blanch.
• Wences Isabel (2021), «Modernity from a Peripheral Critical Theory. Diagnoses and Dissent», in Eduardo Cavieres and Pedro Pérez Herrero, (eds.), The Liberal State Revisited. Discussions on Freedom, Equality and Solidarity. Valparaíso (Chile): Ediciones Universitarias de Valparaíso de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.
• Wences Isabel (2021), «Critical Interculturality and Epistemic Decoloniality. Notes from Latin American Critical Thought for a Symmetrical Dialogue», Methaodos. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 9(1), 152-165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17502/mrcs.v9i1.448
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with MariaCaterina La Barbera) (2020), «“Gender Discrimination” in the Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights: Towards Transformative Categories and Measures», Andamios. Revista de investigación social, 17(42):59-87.
• Wences Isabel (co-edited with Pablo Santolaya) (2016), The Americas of Rights, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Ruth Martinón) (2020), «Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Poverty. New Insights in Light of the Hacienda Brasil Verde Case», Anuario Mexicano de Derecho Internacional, XX: 169-201.
• Wences Isabel (co-edited with Pablo Santolaya) (2016), The Americas of Rights, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Simon, Mª. Isabel (co-authored with Anna Margherita Russo) (2016), «From the Rights of “Community Members” to the Rights of the “Community and Its Members”: Cultural Diversity and Recognition of Collective Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights», in Pablo Santolaya and Isabel Wences (ed.), The Americas of Rights, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Isabel (2016), «Recognition and the Right to Difference of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America», in Juan Ramón de la Fuente and Pedro Pérez Herrero (coords.), Recognition of Differences: States, Nations and Identities in Globalization, Madrid: Universidad de Alcalá and Marcial Pons.
• Wences Isabel (2016), «Cultural Diversity and Recognition of the Rights and Worldview of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America concerning Land, Territory and Natural Resources», in Ángel Valencia and Rafael Aguilera (eds.), Green Democracy, Mexico: Porrúa.
• Wences Isabel (co-edited with R. Conde) (2015), Political Change, Disaffection and Elections in Latin America, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Helder Do Vale) (2014), «The 2012 Elections in Mexico: The Birth of a Consolidated Federal Democracy?», Regional & Federal Studies, November, 24(1).
• Wences Isabel (2008), «New Political Scenario in Latin America. Does Everything Change So That Nothing Changes?», in J. J. Tamayo et al. (ed.), Contributions of Liberation Theology to Human Rights, Madrid: Colección Religión y Derechos Humanos, Dykinson.
• Wences Isabel (2004), «Is the Right to Development a Human Right?», Revista Internacional de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales, 4: 9-28.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with E. Fernández and M.L. González) (1995): «Breakdown, Political Violence and External Interventionism in Latin America. Main Events from October 1994 to March 1995», Estudios Latinoamericanos, II (4):205-236.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with A.C. Laurell) (1994): «Do Poverty Programs Alleviate Poverty? The Case of the Mexican National Solidarity Program», International Journal of Health Services, 24 (3): 381-400.

Republicanism; Scottish Enlightenment; Civil Society

• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Germán J. Arenas Arias) (2024), «Legibility Policies (and Plain Language) in the Agenda of Contemporary Republicanism», in Germán J. Arenas Arias and Isabel Wences (coords.), How Can Someone Comply with a Law That No One Understands? Interdisciplinary Studies on Plain Language and Legal Culture. Madrid: Marcial Pons.
• Wences Isabel (2023), «The Theory of Stages in the Scottish Enlightenment: Social Change or Progress?», in María Luisa Sánchez Mejía et al., The Lights of Progress and the Consciousness of Modernity, Madrid: Tecnos, Biblioteca de Historia y Pensamiento Político.
• Wences Isabel (2021), «Political Society in the Scottish Enlightenment», in Santiago Delgado and José-Francisco Jiménez-Díaz (ed.), Contemporary Political Ideas. From the Enlightenment to the 20th Century, Granada: Comares.
• Wences Isabel (2020), «The “3D Parasite” Invades Liberal Democracies: Domination, Inequality and Disdain. Sketches for a Vindication of Critical and Transmodern Republicanism», Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo, online 2020/3.
• Wences Isabel (2020), entries «Cohabitation» and «Political Emotions» (co-authored with Paloma de la Nuez), in Benigno Pendás (ed.), Encyclopedia of Moral and Political Sciences for the 21st Century. Political and Legal Sciences (Post-COVID-19 Society), Madrid: Real Academia de Ciencias Morales y Políticas and Boletín Oficial del Estado.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Paloma de la Nuez) (2018), «Emotions and Political Consequences in the Thought of Turgot and Ferguson», in Nuria Sánchez Madrid (ed.), Poetics of the Subject, Cartographies of the Human. The Contribution of the European Enlightenment to the Cultural History of Emotions, Madrid: Ediciones Complutense.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Laura Gioscia) (2017), «Introduction» to the Dossier «Feeling Politics: The Relevance of Emotions to Contemporary Political Life», Crítica contemporánea. Revista de teoría política (Uruguay), December, 7: II-VI.
• Wences Isabel (2016), «Politics, Virtue and Commerce: Civil Society in the Work of Adam Ferguson», in R. Lázaro and J. Seoane (eds.), The Changing Faces of Religion (in XVIII Century Scotland), Hildesheim: Georg Verlag Olms.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Paloma de la Nuez) (2016), «The Paradoxical Return of Emotions», Cuadernos Hispanoamericanos, 792: 42-58.
• Wences Isabel (2016), «Republicanism», in Joan Anton and Xavier Torrens (eds.), Contemporary Political Ideologies and Movements, third edition, Madrid: Tecnos.
• Wences Isabel (2016), entry «Civil Society», in C. Pereda (ed.), Dictionary of Justice, Mexico: Siglo XXI.
• Wences Isabel (ed.) (2015), Taking Political Theory Seriously, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Isabel (2015), «Why Should Political Theory Matter to Us?», in I. Wences (ed.), Taking Political Theory Seriously, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Isabel (2013), «Enlightenment and Transformation on the Atlantic Coasts (1750-1850). Bibliographic Commentary». Revista 20/10 El Mundo Atlántico y la Modernidad Iberoamericana, 1750-1850.
• Wences Isabel (2011), «“Ideas in Context” and the Republican Tradition. Lessons from Quentin Skinner», Isotimia. Revista Internacional de Teoría Política y Jurídica, 5: 41-54.
• Wences Isabel (2010), «The Sociological Relevance of the Scottish Enlightenment», Revista Internacional de Sociología, 68 (4): 37-56.
• Wences Isabel (edited, introductory study and translation) (2010), Essay on the History of Civil Society by Adam Ferguson, Madrid: Akal, 351 pp.
• Wences Isabel et al. (2010), Why Read Ferguson Today?, Mexico: Fontamara, 115 pp.
• Wences Isabel (2009), Man and Society in the Scottish Enlightenment, Mexico: Fontamara, 325 pp.
• Wences Isabel (co-edited with J.M. Sauca) (eds.) (2007), Readings on Civil Society. Approaches to a Contemporary Theoretical Map, Madrid: Trotta.
• Wences Isabel (2007), «Civic Republicanism and Civil Society», in J.M. Sauca and I. Wences (eds.), Readings on Civil Society. Approaches to a Contemporary Theoretical Map, Madrid: Trotta.
• Wences Isabel (edited, introductory study and translation) (2007), Social and Political Theory of the Scottish Enlightenment. An Anthology, Madrid: Plaza y Valdés and CSIC, 336 pp.
• Wences Isabel (2006), Civil Society and Civic Virtue in Adam Ferguson, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales, 302 pp.
• Wences Isabel (2006), «Civic or Commercial? Some Paradoxes of Civil Society in the Scottish Enlightenment Thinker Adam Ferguson», Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales, 196:12-25.
• Wences Isabel (2006), «Adam Ferguson and the Difficult Articulation between Commerce and Virtue», Polis, 5 (14): 431-443.

Legal Culture

• Wences Isabel (2026). «How Much Does Corruption Cost Us?» and «Is There Corruption in the Energy Transition?», in David García-García and Guillermo Santander (eds.), The Labyrinth of Corruption. Keys to Avoid Getting Lost. Madrid: Siglo XXI.
• Wences Isabel (with Germán J. Arenas Arias) (coords.) (2024), How Can Someone Comply with a Law That No One Understands? Interdisciplinary Studies on Plain Language and Legal Culture. Madrid: Marcial Pons.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Paloma de la Nuez) (2022), «Two Discordant Ways of Resignifying Corruption in the 18th Century: Ferguson and Turgot between Commerce and Virtue», in Paloma de la Nuez, Julio Seoane and Isabel Wences (coords.), The Idea of Corruption in the 18th and 19th Centuries: Forging and Resignifications, Madrid: IELAT and Marcial Pons.
• Wences Isabel (co-edited with Paloma de la Nuez and Julio Seoane) (2022), The Idea of Corruption in the 18th and 19th Centuries: Forging and Resignifications, Madrid: IELAT and Marcial Pons.
• Wences Isabel (ed.) (2022), Corruption. Readings from Contemporary Political Thought, Granada: Comares.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Cecilia Güemes) (2019), «Non-Compliance Behaviors: Contexts and Possible Political Responses», Papers. Revista de Sociología, 104/1: 75-99.
• Wences Isabel (2018), «Transparency: “Sunlight as the Best Disinfectant”», in B. Pendas (dir.), Constitutional Spain, Forty Years (1978-2018): Assessment and Prospects, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Cecilia Güemes) (2016), «Republican Democracy and Trust in Latin America: The Hope That Never Arrives, That Never Suffices», in Andamios. Revista de investigación social, January-April, no. 30: 13-37.
• Wences Isabel (co-edited with Rosa Conde and Adrián Bonilla) (2014), Legal Culture in Ibero-America: Challenges and Experiences, Costa Rica: Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO).
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with José María Sauca) (2014), «Legal Culture: Movement and Project», in I. Wences et al., Legal Culture in Ibero-America: Challenges and Experiences, Costa Rica: Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO).
• Wences Isabel (co-edited with Mario Kölling and Sabrina Ragone) (2014), The Transparency, Access to Public Information and Good Governance Act. An Academic Perspective, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Mario Kölling and Sabrina Ragone) (2014), «Academic Introduction», in I. Wences, M. Kölling and S. Ragone, (eds.), The Transparency, Access to Public Information and Good Governance Act. An Academic Perspective, Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales, pp. XII-XXI.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Ruth Martinón) (2014), «Moral Policies and Gambling», in J. I. Cases (dir.), Six Questions about Gambling. Business, Ethics and Corruption, Madrid: Aranzadi.
• Wences Isabel (2010), (co-edited with Manuel Villoria), Legal Culture. Institutions, Processes and Structures, Madrid: Catarata, 264 pp.
• Wences Isabel (2010), «Legal Culture and Accountability», in M. Villoria and I. Wences (eds.), Legal Culture. Institutions, Processes and Structure, Madrid: Catarata.

Political Theory and Cultural Diversity

• Wences Isabel, (2022), entry «Disdain», in C. Pereda (ed.), A. Aragón, C. Delgado, J. Marcone, S. Ortiz and A. Sermeño (coords.), Dictionary of Injustices, Mexico City: Siglo XXI.
• Wences Isabel (2018), «The University: A Common Good and the Recognition of Plural Forms of Knowledge», in P. Pérez Herrero and C. I. Moreno (eds.), What Universities Does the 21st Century Need? Reflections 100 Years after the Córdoba Student Reform, Universidad de Guadalajara (Mexico), Instituto Universitario Investigación en Estudios Latinoamericanos (IELAT), Fundación EU-LAC, Banco Santander and Marcial Pons.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with Anna Margherita Russo), (2017), «The Inter-American Court and the Right to Indigenous Communal Property: An Analysis from the Perspective of Recognition and Cultural Diversity», Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo, no. 3: 791-832.
• Wences Isabel (2016), «Quebec Interculturalism: A Version of Canadian Multiculturalism or a Model with Its Own Institutional Structure?», Convergencia. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, September-December, no. 72: 101-128.
• Wences Isabel (2015), «Cultural Diversity and Reasonable Accommodation. A Reading from the Perspective of Non-Domination», Foro Interno. Anuario de Teoría Política, December, 15: 39-67.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with J.M. Sauca) (2015), entry «Collective Rights (in the Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights)», Eunomía. Revista en Cultura de la Legalidad, 9: 195-204.
• Wences Isabel (2015), «Cultural Diversity and Political Theory in Democratic Contexts», in I. Wences (ed.), Taking Political Theory Seriously. Madrid: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales, pp- 507-541.
• Wences Isabel (2014), «Interculturalism and Republicanism: Is Dialogue Possible?», in A-G. Gagnon and J. M. Sauca, Negotiating Diversity: Identity, Pluralism and Democracy, Brussels: Peter Lang.
• Wences Isabel (2014), «Interculturalism and Republicanism: Crossed Perspectives on Cultural Diversity», Isegoría. Revista de Filosofía Moral y Política, 51: 597-622.
• Wences Isabel (2013), «Four Lessons from the Bouchard-Taylor Commission: Reasonable Accommodation, Integrative Pluralism, Open Secularism and Citizen Participation», in P. Chave et al., (eds.), Crisis of Neoliberal Capitalism, Constituent Power and Real Democracy, Madrid: Traficante de sueños.
• Wences Isabel (2010): Cultural Diversity under Debate. Quebec Consults Its Citizens, Mexico: Cuadernos de la Cultura Democrática, Instituto Federal Electoral.
• Wences Isabel (co-authored with J.M. Sauca) (2009), «Citizen Participation and Cultural Diversity: The Bouchard-Taylor Commission», Andamios. Revista de investigación social, 10: 9-37.
• Political Theory and Traditions of Thought in undergraduate studies
• Main currents of contemporary political theory in postgraduate studies
• Problems of contemporary political theory from a Latin American perspective in postgraduate studies

National Prize for doctoral theses for the year 2003 granted ex aequo by the Spanish Association of Political Science; National Prize "Nicolás Pérez Serrano" for the academic year 2002-2003 for doctoral theses granted by the Center for Political and Constitutional Studies; Extraordinary Doctorate Prize. D. in Law: Fundamental Rights Program. Carlos III University of Madrid, 2004..

He has made research stays in Canada, England and Mexico.
He has obtained mobility aid from the "José Castillejo" Program of the Ministry of Education and Science; and grants from the Caja Madrid Foundation, Carlos III University Foundation, the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and the General Directorate for Academic Staff Support of the National Autonomous University of Mexico..