This series of Student Reflections is based on interviews conducted by Elyse Purcell and Sarah Horne during the APA’s 2019 Central Division Meeting in Denver, Colorado. Sarah O’Brien has received her B.A. in Philosophy and Medicine, Health, and Society from Vanderbilt University and her M.A. in Theological Studies from Iliff School of Theology. She is currently a PhD Student in Philosophical and Theological Studies at Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ and an adjunct professor at Kean University.
What inspired you to pursue a graduate degree in philosophy?
While I have always been more inclined to constantly question that which we often assume, it was my first philosophy class my sophomore year of college that drew me into philosophy proper. I did not grow up in a well-read home, nor did I grow up surrounded by highly educated family and friends. During my undergraduate studies I had the opportunity to study with a professor named Joan Forry, whose courses on animal ethics, sport, and food, all taught from a critical feminist perspective, rocked my world and helped me feel less alone in the questions to which I desired answers. While my story, like most of our stories, is much more complex and difficult to boil down to one single moment in time, I can say that that philosophy is where I feel most at home and I truly believe that it can provide the language and tools to help us deal with both social and environmental injustice.
Which branch of philosophy do you study?
My main area of focus within philosophy is phenomenology, which I always read and interpret through a critical ecofeminist perspective.
What interests you much about this branch?
I am most interested in phenomenology because I believe it is both theoretically robust and practically applicable. I find that it has resonance across a variety of philosophical discourses and disciplines alike.
Who is your favorite philosopher and why?
My favorite philosopher within the phenomenological tradition is Maurice Merleau-Ponty as his work provides the theoretical framework through which critique, application, and reconstruction is made possible for dealing with the challenges of today. However, as I mentioned in my previous response I always read Merleau-Ponty through the lens of ecofeminist and postcolonial theorists, some of whom who have been greatly influential to me include Val Plumwood, Vandana Shiva, Greta Gaard, and Audre Lorde. These thinkers expand or extend Merleau-Ponty’s thought to make it more applicable to both social and environmental issues today while simultaneously lifting up voices of those traditionally marginalized.
What do you plan to do with your degree once you graduate? If you are choosing to do something outside of a faculty position, please explain what it is and why.
Ideally, I would love the opportunity to teach philosophy in a community college or public university in a philosophy, women’s and gender studies, or environmental studies/humanities department. However, I realize that this might not be a viable option given the state of the humanities in higher education. As such, I remain open to teaching in a high school setting and I am actively pursuing career opportunities in global education and environmental advocacy with an emphasis on environmental justice. I am equally passionate about travel and environmental activism; I see the value in place-based education and intersectional environmental justice as being equally worthwhile endeavors for my knowledge and skill set.
This section of the APA Blog is designed to share student reflections on APA meetings. We’d love for you to be a part of it. If you’re a student and would like to submit a reflection, contact Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall at sabrinamisirhiralall@apaonline.org.
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.
