Jennifer Kling is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Legal Studies at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Her research focuses on moral and political philosophy, particularly issues in war and peace, self- and other-defense, international relations, and feminism. She is the author of War Refugees: Risk, Justice, and Moral Responsibility (Lexington Books, 2019).
What excites you about philosophy?
That everything is up for grabs! I really enjoy that philosophy both has an established body of knowledge, and also acknowledges (at its best) that any part of that body of knowledge, if not the whole of it, could be wildly mistaken. All it takes is one good argument to upend everything we thought we knew. In addition, I find it really exciting that philosophy (again, at its best) allows different sub-areas within the discipline to interact and engage in cross-fertilization, so to speak. For example, I can bring ideas from feminism and philosophy of race to bear on questions and issues in just war theory, and that’s celebrated, rather than dismissed.
What are you working on right now?
I always have a couple of projects that I work on simultaneously. That way, when I’m stuck, I can just switch problems! My current projects include thinking about the distinction between protest and revolution (is there a principled line to be drawn, or is it predominantly contextual?), attempting to figure out how we should categorize members of organized international criminal groups (are they domestic criminals, or are they combatants?), and considering whether the principle of non-refoulement (the international legal principle that prevents states from returning asylum-seekers to places where they are at risk of persecution) legally obligates states to grant asylum to victims of domestic violence.
What’s your personal philosophy?
It’s fine. It’s probably fine. Also, it’ll get done. How? Unclear. But it will. No worries!
Name a trait, skill or characteristic that you have that others may not know about.
In the summers, I’m a camp director at a traditional sleep-away camp near Golden, Colorado. I’m the intermediate village director and the waterfront director — so, I spend my summers hanging out with 10-to-13 year-olds and teaching all things camp-related. My campers say that my ‘talent’ for our camp talent show would be organizing them really quickly into an all-camp game or activity. Skills-wise, I make a mean tye-dye t-shirt, and I’m happiest paddling a kayak or sailing a sunfish. Oh, and I can whistle really loudly.
What is your favorite book of all time? (Or top 3). Why? To whom would you recommend them?
This is a difficult question, as I’m an avid reader. Definitely one of my favorite books is Have Spacesuit, Will Travel by Robert Heinlein. I love it because it’s a perfectly tight novel; everything that’s mentioned has significance, even if it doesn’t become apparent until the end of the book. Also, it raises a number of interesting philosophical questions — metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, political — while masquerading as a YA science fiction book. And finally, it’s just a ton of fun; who doesn’t love to read a good adventure story?!
What books are currently on your ‘to read’ list?
My ‘to read’ list is basically a wall. I could start writing down titles, but we’d be here all night.
What would your childhood self say if someone told you that you would grow up to be a philosopher?
My childhood self would not know what that was. Once explained, she’d probably be confused, if not downright annoyed. She had very definite plans — she wanted to be an astronaut, a dolphin trainer, and, more seriously and for longer, a poet. That dream lasted all the way through my undergraduate degree. I received highest honors in creative writing for my B.A. While my friends were doing senior theses on very important topics, I was literally writing a book of poetry. But then reality, or something, intruded, and I decided to go to graduate school for philosophy. And the rest, as they say, is history. But as I do point out sometimes, and mean, it’s not completely clear to me how all this happened; I think I became a philosopher by just doing what came next, over and over again.
What’s your most treasured memory?
My mother read The Hobbit, and then The Lord of The Rings trilogy, to my brother and me growing up. Almost every night, she’d read us a chapter or two (depending on the chapter lengths!) and I have such vivid memories of curling up on the couch and listening to that huge, complex, beautiful story. We started when I was 7 or 8, I believe, and finished when I was in high school. It was transformative for me, not only because Tolkien raised difficult questions and made subtle points that still resonate with me today, but also because my mom was infinitely patient with us. She’d always stop and explain words that we didn’t understand, and would take the time to remind us of what was going on with each of the different characters and plotlines. In many ways, when I teach, I try to be like my mom was when reading us those books: engaged, patient, knowledgeable, and open to possibilities.
Where would you go in a time machine?
To see T-Rexes. No question.
What cause or charity do you care about most?
I donate to a number of refugee-focused charities, including IRC and the UNHCR. There are, conservatively, 67 million refugees worldwide, and they are, through no fault of their own, being objectified, ignored, and warehoused, when they’re not being actively attacked. Most of us are complicit in these wrongs, and even if you disagree with that claim, it is nevertheless true that sometimes, we owe people aid just because they need the help. You can donate here or here.
This section of the APA Blog is designed to get to know our fellow philosophers a little better. We’re including profiles of APA members that spotlight what captures their interest not only inside the office, but also outside of it. We’d love for you to be a part of it, so please contact us via the interview nomination form here to nominate yourself or a friend.
Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
