Rebecca Faulkner is a Lecturer in the Department of Religion at Princeton University. She specializes in political philosophy and philosophy of religion with a focus on Islam.
What excites you about philosophy?
I become excited and energized when I encounter a new perspective on, for example, what it means to have a shared political life or to experience the divine or to construct an ethical self. For me, philosophy is about getting to know someone else’s concerns and contexts and to see how they worked it out for themselves and their communities. A connection builds across time and place when I can put myself in their shoes and understand how their ideas were both shaped by and intended to change their circumstances. It gives me hope about our own political, social, and moral contexts and questions. The best moments in my research are when I am gripped by the feeling that the ideas and actions of others mattered, and that we are also now making a future that might yet be different.
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
I defended my dissertation in June 2021, which means that the final stretch of writing and revising were completed under pretty extreme circumstances of the pandemic. I am proud of the work I produced and am now retooling my research as a book manuscript, provisionally titled “Muhammad Iqbal and the Meanings of South Asian Islamic Modernism.”
What are you working on right now?
I am currently writing my book and doing exploratory research and conference paper writing for my next book project, which will focus on political philosophy, economy, and religion. I have a particular interest in twentieth-century Muslim intellectual history, so this project involves thinking about topics like Islamic socialism and Muslim internationalism.
In my teaching, I have prepped two new courses this academic year. Right now I am teaching an undergraduate seminar course called Muslim America. This course has given me the chance to teach across disciplines about big ideas in philosophy and religion, like nation, authority, and utopia. It has been rewarding to see what works for my students. I am interested in pedagogy development, so having this new freedom to experiment has been wonderfully fun for me.
What topic do you think is under explored in philosophy?
Part of the motivation for my research is demonstrating the payoff to philosophy in general when a wider scope of intellectual production, concerns, and contexts are taken into account. For example, my research on Islamic modernism contributes to big debates in philosophy about topics like sovereignty and the good life. However, I find that philosophy of religion in general and Islamic philosophy in particular remain underdeveloped. On top of that, my current project focuses on a poet-philosopher, which offers me the opportunity to think about the relationship between literature and philosophy.
In my opinion, philosophers need to think more carefully about these topics. One barrier to doing so is the extent of interdisciplinary training in history, languages, and literatures that is required to engage with fields like Islamic philosophy. The good news is there are already members, including me, who can help philosophy grow in new directions.
What do you like to do outside work?
I love playing video games. I harbor a semisecret desire to spend my weekends doing research for historical game development. Recently, I slowly but steadily made my way through Assassin’s Creed: Origins. It was an absolute delight to play and learn something at the same time. This game has an exceptional educational component.
What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
I recently read a poetry collection by Mohja Kahf called My Lover Feeds Me Grapefruit. It was delightful and a great addition to her earlier collection Hagar Poems, which I love. I recommend both books!
What would your childhood self say if someone told you that you would grow up to be a philosopher?
It would have to be “what’s a philosopher?” For better and worse, I grew up in a family that did not know of such creatures. I treasure being able to work in this field.
If you were an ice cream, what flavor would you be?
I cannot resist such a great opportunity to mention my partner, who owns an ice cream company called Heritage Kulfi. My favorite flavor is Rosewater. It is as lovely and thoughtful as it sounds, which is certainly an aspirational way to be.
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.
