Philosophy in Other Words
Research Network on Early Modern Women and Philosophy.
In the early modern period (c. 1450鈥1800), women were deeply engaged in the creation, production, and diffusion of philosophy. They addressed ethical, political, metaphysical, educational, and natural issues. They created concepts, constructed theories, and critiqued or developed work by their male peers. Yet somewhere along the way, these women intellectuals disappeared (or were excluded) from conventional narratives of the history of philosophy. Though they were often famous in their own time, many are relatively unknown today.
The research network Philosophy in Other Words (POW) strives to change this. We are an interdisciplinary network for Nordic researchers working with any aspect of women鈥檚 philosophical activities in the early modern period. We are committed to retrieving and reframing women鈥檚 contributions to intellectual history by attending to specific women thinkers as well as to questions of gender, genre, and historiography more broadly.
We welcome researchers who work with canonical female thinkers, those whose research centers on figures and texts that have hitherto not been considered philosophical, and those who study the material and social conditions of intellectual life.
The network鈥檚 name 鈥淧hilosophy in Other Words鈥 reflects many early modern women鈥檚 choice to present their philosophical thought 鈥渋n disguise鈥 鈥 as poetry or drama, in journals or newspapers. Like these women, we appreciate new ideas and approaches regarding genres and modes of philosophical expression.
Cooperation
POW brings together scholars from Sweden (91探花, Stockholm University, Link枚ping University, Lund University), Norway (The University of Oslo, The Arctic University of Norway), Denmark (The University of Copenhagen, Roskilde University) and Finland (The University of Jyv盲skyl盲).
The network welcomes researchers from other universities. Please contact us.
Education
At the University 91探花, members of POW teach the course 鈥淲omen and Intellectual Life in Early Modern Europe鈥. Through close reading of women鈥檚 philosophical works, the course explores the intellectual world of early modern Europe from the perspective of women philosophers and writers of the age.