About
Esmé Lily Katherine Partridge is a researcher and writer working between religion, philosophy and politics. She is a Senior Researcher at Civitas and a Fellow of Civic Future. She holds a BA in the Study of Religions from SOAS, University of London and an MPhil in the Philosophy of Religion from the University of Cambridge.
Esmé’s research interests include Platonism, Renaissance philosophy, and Christian humanism. She wrote her MPhil on the 16th Century jurist Jean Bodin’s theory of religious pluralism, focusing on his Colloquium Heptaplomeres and its conception of harmony as a political ideal. She is currently working on the question of whether ancient Platonic, Stoic and Christian notions of universal brotherhood can be reconciled with our need for particular places and forms of belonging, towards an alternative paradigm of universalism.
Esmé is also interested in the place of religion in contemporary society. As a Researcher at Theos Think Tank, she explored what could be drawing young people to Christianity, authoring the report “Understanding Young Adult Journeys to Faith” for the Church of England (expected July 2026). Previously, she authored the Civitas report “Restoring the Value of Parishes: The Foundations of Welfare, Community and Spiritual Belonging in England”, which investigates the decline of the Church of England’s parish system and makes the case for its revival.
Previously, Esmé has held roles as a Parliamentary Researcher in the House of Commons and a consultant working on a range of religious freedom initiatives, including the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Christianity in the Holy Land and UK Freedom of Religion or Belief policy.
Esmé has written for publications including UnHerd, The Critic, First Things, Engelsberg Ideas, Times Literary Supplement and Church Times. Her academic work has appeared in publications including the Temenos Academy Review, Renovatio: The Journal of Zaytuna College, and La Règle d'Abraham. She is also a regular speaker, panelist, and interviewer, appearing on Times Radio, The Spectator podcast, and at the UnHerd Club.