Talia Mae Bettcher, previously professor of philosophy at California State University, Los Angeles, has accepted a position at the University of Waterloo.
Professor Bettcher is well-known for her work in trans philosophy and feminist philosophy. She is the author of Beyond Personhood: An Essay in Trans Philosophy (2024), among other works, which you can learn about here and here.
At Waterloo, Bettcher will be the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair in Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Trans Community Resilience in the Department of Philosophy in the university’s new School of Social, Political and Historical Research. (According to an announcement from the university, “the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada program [provides] up to $1 billion over 12 years to help Canadian post-secondary institutions recruit exceptional international researchers.)
More of the exodus from a dysfunctional country to a relatively functional one?
Bettcher is also the author of important work on George Berkeley before turning to her seminal work in trans philosophy. Congratulations to Waterloo on this hire and wishing Talia much happiness there.
Thanks, Margaret. That means a lot.
Thanks, Margaret. That means a lot to me.
We are VERY excited about this at Waterloo. I’m also very excited that the government of Canada chose to invest in this important area at a time when it’s under enormous threat in many countries. They could have taken the easy way out and hired yet another STEM person (most of the hires were STEM), but they’ve chosen to fund the fight against transphobia. I could not be more thrilled.
I am so excited to work with you, Jenny. I can’t think of a better fit than Waterloo.
There’s an interview with Talia here, about the move: https://uwaterloo.ca/news/arts/making-world-safer-and-kinder-place-trans-people
Talia Mae Bettcher is an icon, legend, and she IS the moment!! Wishing you all the happiness in the world!!
Thank you! That’s very kind.
Sad for us that she won’t be a regular participant in various workshops and conferences in Southern California any more!
Big congrats to Talia!
Thank you, Tomas.