Brant Entrekin is a PhD candidate in philosophy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who works in social/political philosophy, applied ethics, and feminist philosophy. He also has work in religious studies and philosophy of religion. He is currently writing his dissertation on allyship in social justice movements. More information about Brant’s research and teaching can be found at brantentrekin.com.
What are you working on right now?
Currently, I’m juggling writing dissertation chapters while turning them into journal articles! My dissertation is on the norms around allyship in social justice movements. I noticed that allyship was really overlooked in the philosophical literature and, when people did talk about it, they mostly focused on the ways that allies can act in oppressive ways. I’m wanting to do something a bit more constructive by thinking about who allies are and how they should fight for social justice along with the oppressed. The project right now that excites me is the chapter I’m writing on deference to the oppressed. I am trying to think about the norm of deference for allies, what that means for when allies should take their own initiatives, and how these norms change over time as allies learn from the oppressed.
What excites you about philosophy?
What excites me about philosophy is that there is always something new to explore. Doing a PhD in philosophy has really shown me how attempting to answer one philosophical question leads to uncovering so many new, interesting avenues to explore. I think it wasn’t until I started working on my dissertation that I really saw just how expansive this process is. Having one central project for an extended period of time makes you realize that you really are creating your own research program when you start to write your dissertation.
I think this is also what’s so exciting about teaching philosophy! Part of the reason that there is always something new to explore in philosophy is because philosophy can be used to investigate basically anything. It is really energizing when students use the tools of philosophy to discuss and investigate something they are clearly already interested and invested in. Similarly, it’s also energizing when students realize that there are these deeper questions out there for things they previously took for granted!
What do you like to do outside work?
Lots of things! I really enjoy weightlifting and running. I am hoping to do another half-marathon in the next year. Staying active has really helped me mentally during graduate school. I also love antiquing and exploring used book stores. Reading recreationally is hard when a lot of my workday is spent reading, but I try to have at least a book I’m working through for fun just so I remember that reading can be for pleasure and business. I am also a really big trivia nerd! Jeopardy marathons are a frequent occurrence at my place, and a group of my colleagues and I have a weekly trivia team that we take quite seriously (shoutout Descartes Before the Horse!).
If you could wake up tomorrow with a new talent, what would you most like it to be?
I think I would want to wake up with the ability to play a musical instrument, especially the piano. When I was younger, I briefly took piano lessons with my great-grandmother, who was a piano instructor in my hometown. Unfortunately, I was not a very good pupil and now basically only know Chopsticks and a few scales. I wish I had taken it more seriously back then, so I’d love to be able to just wake up with the ability to play!
What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
I am currently working on two books. For my fun summer read, I am almost done with Robert A. Dahl’s “How Democratic Is the American Constitution?” For research, I am reading Daniel Q. Gillion’s “The Loud Minority: Why Protests Matter in American Democracy.” I think both are excellent! I might have different standards of what counts as a “fun summer read” than others, though.
Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman? Wonder Woman vs Supergirl?
Does Batman have prep time? That’s always the important question when it comes to a battle between Batman and any other character. If Batman has no prep time, I think Spiderman would take this one (which I hate to admit as a Batman nerd). This question was once tested on the YouTube show Death Battle, and their analysis that Spiderman would win was convincing (although heartbreaking) to me.
I think Wonder Woman and Supergirl would be a closer fight. I think that Wonder Woman’s weaponry would count as magical, so Supergirl would be vulnerable to them. Supergirl is actually a better hand-to-hand combatant than a lot of people think, so I think that her fight with Wonder Woman would be more technical than the fights that Wonder Woman has had with Superman before. Still, I think Wonder Woman would be the better tactician and win the fight.
What three things are on your bucket list that you’ve not yet accomplished?
It is tough to narrow it down to three! First, I’d say I’d like to appear on a gameshow. I’ve always loved Jeopardy, and it’s a dream to compete on there, but I used to marathon all kinds of daytime gameshows when I was a kid, so I would also love to be on The Price is Right or Let’s Make a Deal.
I’d also like to visit every MLB ballpark. I am a huge Atlanta Braves fan (having grown up in a small town just west of Atlanta), so I’ve been to Truist Park many times. I’ve also made it to Fenway Park in Boston and the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, so I still have plenty to check off!
Finally, I’d like to attempt an Ironman triathlon one day. Or, maybe a half-Ironman. I have completed a few smaller triathlons, and I’ve really contemplated signing up for an Ironman. The swimming is the intimidating part for me! I love cycling and running, but I have never been able to enjoy the swimming. Once I get over that hump, I might be able to check this one off my list.
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.
Smrutipriya Pattnaik
Smrutipriya Pattnaik is the Teaching Beat Editor and Series Editor for the Syllabus Showcase Series at the APA Blog. She is an adjunct assistant professor at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida and holds a PhD in philosophy from the Indian Institute of Technology Indore. Her research focuses on utopian imagination and political thought in the context of modern crises. She is currently working on her first book, Politics, Utopia, and Social Imagination.
