OLI STEPHANO
Dr Stephano’s research and teaching interests span Spinoza, Continental philosophy, environmental ethics, and feminist and queer theory.
ABOUT ME
I primarily work on Continental philosophy, Spinoza, environmental philosophy, and feminist and queer theory. Through divergent yet often interwoven inquiries, my research focuses on the ethics of material, social and political transformation. At present, I am particularly interested in thinking ethical questions through immanence: that is, considering how individuals and communities are rendered more or less capable of flourishing on the basis of how they affect and are affected by one another. My current book project extends this inquiry to ecology. Turning to Spinoza, I develop what I call an “immanent ecological ethics” that bases its normative claims in how ecosystemic bodies affect one another’s flourishing, in line with the ethical task of aligning human striving with ecological coexistence. Alongside teaching and doing philosophy, I enjoy surfing, learning Chasidic philosophy, writing, playing guitar, making art, cooking, and being by the sea.
OLI STEPHANO
C.V.
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Environmental philosophy
Feminist philosophy
Spinoza
19th-21st century Continental philosophy
AREAS OF COMPETENCE
Gender studies and queer theory
Ethics
Social and political philosophy
EDUCATION
2016 Ph.D. in Philosophy with a certificate in Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
2011 M.A. in Philosophy
The New School, New York, NY
2007 B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in Women’s Studies
Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
General and departmental honors
Study Abroad Program in Philosophy University College Dublin, Ireland
BOOK CHAPTERS
2023 “Sexual Difference as Qualitative Becoming,” in Mary Rawlinson and James Sares, eds., What is Sexual Difference? Thinking Sex and Being with Irigaray. New York: Columbia University Press.
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
2022 [Redacted for anonymous review], submitted for initial review.
2021 "Immanence and Differentiation in Spinoza." Síntesis, thematic issue on "Matters," Vol. 4:2.
2021 [Redacted for anonymous review], submitted for initial review.
2020 [Redacted for anonymous review], submitted for initial review.
2019 “Human Power and Ecological Flourishing: Refiguring Right and Power with Spinoza.” SubStance, Vol. 48:2.
2018 “Irreducibility and (Trans) Sexual Difference.” Hypatia, Vol. 33:4.1.
2017 “Spinoza, Ecology, and Immanent Ethics: Beside Moral Considerability.” Environmental Philosophy, Vol. 14:2.
2015 “Strange Intimacies.” Assuming Gender, Vol. 5:1.
2011 “Earthly Amor Fati: On Overcoming and Affirmation.” Canon: The Interdisciplinary Student-
Run Journal at the New School for Social Research.
2010 “Deleuze and Guattari: Immaculate Conception, Hidden Emissions.” Co-written with Dionysos Mattison. Canon.
2010 “Becoming-Receptive, or, How to Give It Up Without Giving Up.” Canon.
PRESENTATIONS
2020 “On Being Beheld: Embodiment, Intelligibility, and the Communal Avowal of Trans First-Person Authority.” PhiloSOPHIA annual meeting, Nashville, TN. Cancelled due to Covid-19.
2019 “Becoming Receptive: A Queer Erotic Ethics of Intimacy.” Feminist Ethics and Social Theory Association annual meeting, Clearwater Beach, FL.
2019 “Refiguring Power and Right with Spinoza.” American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division annual meeting, New York, NY.
2018 “Irreducibility and (Trans) Sexual Difference.” Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy annual meeting, State College, PA.
2018 “Human Power and Ecological Flourishing.” International Association for Environmental Philosophy annual meeting, State College, PA.
2018 “What Can A River Do? Spinoza, Immanent Ethics, and Indigenous-Led Ecological Struggle Against DAPL.” PhiloSOPHIA annual meeting, Richmond, VA.
2017 “Irigaray, Bergson, and the Qualitative Becoming of Sexual Difference.” Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy annual meeting, Memphis, TN.
2017 “Spinozist Ethics and ‘Water is Life’: Working Beside Moral Considerability.” International Association for Environmental Philosophy annual meeting, Memphis, TN.
2017 “Irreducibility and (Trans)Sexual Difference.” The Futures of Queer Theory conference, The New School, New York, NY.
2017 “Affect, Ethics, and Ecology.” PhiloSOPHIA annual meeting, Boca Raton, FL.
2015 “Spinoza’s Immanent Ontology.” International Association for Environmental Philosophy annual meeting, Atlanta, GA.
2015 “Non-Allergic Relations: Thinking the Other with Levinas and Derrida.” New Frontiers in Ethics conference, University of Toronto Centre for Ethics.
2010 “Messianism and Memory.” Derrida and America conference, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
2009 “Jewish and Pagan Mysticism.” Queer Shabbaton, Jewish Community Center, New York, NY.
2007 “Monster Ethics: Beyond No Future.” Queer CUNY VIII: The Twilight of Queerness?, Hunter College, New York, NY.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Visiting Assistant Professor, Colby College
2020-2021 Environmental Ethics
Feminist Philosophies
Nature, Sex, and Power: New Materialisms
Philosophical Anthropology
Visiting Assistant Professor, Bard College
2017-2020 Introduction to Feminist Ethics
Environmental Ethics
Spinoza’s Ethics
Nature, Sex, and Power: New Materialisms
First Year Seminar: What is Political Freedom
First Year Seminar: The Self in the World
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Vassar College
2018-2019 Philosophical Questions: Personhood
Philosophical & Contemporary Issues: Sexual Ethics
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Fordham University
2017 Philosophical Ethics
Instructor, Western Connecticut State University
2016 Environmental Philosophy
Instructor, Stony Brook University
2015-2016 Concepts of the Person
2014-2015 Politics and Society
2013-2014 Moral Reasoning
Teaching Assistant, Stony Brook University
2013 Historical Introduction to Western Philosophy
2012 Existentialism
2012 Philosophy of Law
2011 Politics and Society
ACADEMIC HONORS
2011-2016 W. Burghardt Turner Fellowship, Stony Brook University, $10,000 annually
2011-2015 Turner Summer Research grants, Stony Brook University, $3,500 annually
2011-2016 University tuition scholarship and teaching assistantship, Stony Brook University
2009-2011 University tuition scholarship, The New School
2007 University and departmental honors, Vassar College
2007 Philip Nochlin Prize for outstanding senior thesis in philosophy, Vassar College
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
2020-2021 Academic advising and major recruitment, Colby College
2017- 2021 Senior Project advising, Bard College
2020 Sustainability Ambassador, Bard College
2020 Session chair, American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division
2018— Reviewer, Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy
2017-2020 Academic advising and major recruitment, Bard College
2018-2019 Academic advising and major recruitment, Vassar College
2017-2019 Moderation board advising, Bard College
2017-2019 Trans Inclusivity Working Group, Bard College
RELATED PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2011-present Academic editor, writer, and researcher, Oli Stephano PhD :: Editorial Services
2015-2017 Copy-editor and research assistant to Dr Eva Kittay, President, Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association
2013-2014 Research assistant to Dr Edward S. Casey
1999-2022 Editor and creator of literary and visual art projects
2012 CUNY Latin/Greek Institute, Summer Intensive in Attic Greek
LANGUAGE SKILLS
French Proficiency in reading and translating
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Philosophical Association
International Association for Environmental Philosophy
Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy
The Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Theory
North American Spinoza Society
CONTACT ME
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