About

I am Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island.

My research is focused on late nineteenth century philosophy in the German tradition. I focus on life affirmation, especially as developed in the work of nineteenth-century philosophers. Life affirmation describes the process of coming to see life as worthwhile and filled with meaning, even in the face of great suffering. My research addresses life affirmation in two main contexts:

• The relationship between art, suffering, and life affirmation: Nineteenth-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously argues, in The Birth of Tragedy (1872), that tragic drama was expressive of not only existential agony, but also life affirmation. My research examines the contemporary relevance and internal consistency of Nietzsche’s theory of tragedy. I also examine the connection between suffering and life affirmation in Nietzsche’s later works.

• Life affirmation in the social and political domain: I analyze how social and political considerations make life affirmation more difficult for oppressed groups. I turn to the work of Hedwig Dohm (1833-1919), an early German feminist who advocates for universal suffrage and criticizes gender structures that keep women from coming to affirm their lives. I have also published on the socialist feminist Clara Zetkin (1857-1933), who considered the joint concerns of women and labor.
  
  My work is part of a larger movement in the history of philosophy to retrieve and sustain the presence of philosophical works of women and other marginalized groups. My research in this area has been supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship from Extending New Narratives.
  

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my dogs, swimming, and watching bad television.