TRACY LLANERA Sydney, NSW https://tracyllanera.com/ tracy.llanera@mq.edu.au tracy.llanera@gmail.com AOS: Philosophy of Religion, Social and Political Philosophy, The Philosophy of Richard Rorty AOC: American Pragmatism, Philosophy of Literature RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Forthcoming - Fall 2017) University of Connecticut Humanities Institute Project: Humility and Conviction in Public Life (Funding: Templeton) Teaching Associate (2013, 2015-present) Macquarie University Department of Philosophy & Department of Anthropology EDUCATION PhD Philosophy, Macquarie University, Australia (2011-2016) Thesis: Richard Rorty: Rethinking Redemption in Modernity Commenced: Dec 2011, Qualified: Dec 2015 Awarded: Apr 2016 (on-time completion) International Macquarie University Research Excellence Award MA Philosophy, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines (2009-2011) Thesis: The Liberal Ironist: Rorty and the Possibility of Pragmatic Edification Summa cum Laude BA Philosophy, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines (2003-2007) Valedictorian; Summa cum Laude; Rector s Awardee for Academic Excellence PUBLICATIONS * Refereed, ^ Invited Forthcoming Journal Article (public engagement): Ethnocentrism: Lessons from Richard Rorty and Randy David, special issue on The Sociology of Democratic Practice for the Philippine Sociological Review. Submitted Apr 2017 ^ Reference work: Nihilism for A Companion to Richard Rorty, ed. Alan Malachowski (Wiley-Blackwell, 2017). Submitted: Feb 2017 ^ Journal Article: The Deep Personal Resonance of Nihilism in the Journal of Philosophy of Life, special issue on Nihilism and the Meaning of Life and James Tartaglia s Philosophy in a Meaningless Life: A System of Nihilism, Consciousness and Reality (Bloomsbury, 2016). Submitted: Dec 2016 ^ Journal Articles 7. Richard Rorty and the Concept of Redemption in the International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Online First: 24 Nov 2016. DOI:10.1007/s11153-016-9596-8 * 6. Rethinking Nihilism: Rorty vs. Taylor, Dreyfus, Kelly in Philosophy and Social Criticism, 42.9 (2016), 937-950. DOI:10.1177/0191453716645151 * 5. Redeeming Rorty s Private-Public Distinction in Contemporary Pragmatism, 13.3 (2016), 319-340. DOI:10.1163/18758185-01303005 * 1
4. Morality by Words: Murdoch, Nussbaum, Rorty in Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture, 18.1 (2014), 1-17. DOI: 10.13185/bu2014.18101 * 3. Shattering Tradition: Rorty on Edification and Hermeneutics in Kritike, 5.1 (2011), 108-116. * 2. Alive Beyond Death! Ricoeur and the Immortalizing Narrative of the Self in Philosophical Frontiers: A Journal of Emerging Thought, 5:1 (2010), 37-42. * 1. The Copernican Revolution in Pragmatism? Dewey on Philosophy and Science in Kritike, 3.2 (2009), 56-67. * Chapters in Edited Collections 2. Of Private Selves and Public Morals: Philosophy and Literature in Modernity in Worldmaking: Literature, Language, Culture [FILLM 5]. Ed. Tom Clark, Emily Finlay and Philippa Kelly (Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 2017), 77-86. DOI: 10.1075/fillm.5.06lla ^ 1. On Pragmatism, Religion, and Liberalism in Thomism and Asian Cultures: Celebrating 400 Years of Dialogue Across Civilizations (Manila: UST Publishing House, 2012), 492-497. ^ Review Essays 2. Coming to Grips with Realism, Review of Retrieving Realism by Hubert Dreyfus and Charles Taylor (Harvard University Press, 2015) in Critical Horizons: A Journal of Philosophy and Critical Theory Online First: 09 Mar 2017. DOI:10.1080/14409917.2017.1293901 * 1. Dreyfus, Hubert and Sean Kelly, All Things Shining: Reading the Western Classics to Find Meaning in a Secular Age in Kritike, 6.1 (2012), 119-125. * In Preparation Manuscript: Richard Rorty and Modern Nihilism Journal Article: Ethnocentrism, Egotism and Intellectual Humility Journal Article: The Paradox of the Humble Self-Creator Journal Article: Rorty s Incarnated Vocabularies and Taylor s Language Animals PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT 3. Article: Seeking Shelter in a Terrifying Father Figure (print, 21 Oct - 21 Nov 2016); Echoes of Trump: A Terrifying Father Figure in the Philippines (online, 21 Oct 2016), The Indypendent, Issue 218 (New York). https://indypendent.org/2016/10/21/echoes-trump-terrifying-father-figurephilippines 2. Article: Unholy War on Drugs brings Cardboard Justice to the Philippines, The Indypendent (New York) 04 Oct 2016. https://indypendent.org/2016/10/04/unholy-war-drugs-brings-cardboard-justicephilippines 1. Interview: Nihilism and Modernity on Radical Philosophy, 3CR Community Radio (Melbourne, Australia), 07 Apr 2016. http://www.3cr.org.au/radicalphilosophy/episode-201604071530/dr-tracyllanera-speaks-about-nihilism DISSERTATION Thesis: Richard Rorty: Rethinking Redemption in Modernity Supervisors: Jean-Philippe Deranty (AU) and Nicholas Smith (AU) Panel: Christopher Voparil (US), Michael Bacon (UK), and Glen Pettigrove (NZ) My thesis reconstructs Richard Rorty s idea of redemption and reveals how it contributes to recent debates on the sacred in a secular age advanced by Charles 2
Taylor, Hubert Dreyfus, and Sean Kelly. In the first two chapters I introduce the paradoxical theme of redemption in Rorty s writings and I argue that redemption deeply motivates Rorty s philosophical project. This creates the foundation for a philosophical legitimation of Rorty s work in relation to the task of diagnosing the modern spiritual condition, which I offer in the third chapter. Here I examine why Rorty, contra Taylor, Dreyfus, and Kelly, identifies egotism rather than nihilism as our primary existential problem. I argue that Rorty offers two modes of redemption from egotism: self-creation and solidarity, which both entail losing the egotistic self in the process of self-enlargement. I then consider the link between egotism and nihilism: that prior to becoming nihilists, human beings first suffer from the egotism that Rorty s self-enlargement strategy tries to address. While there are advantages to Rorty s position, it is vulnerable to objections that I turn to in the fourth chapter. I conclude by praising Rorty s project of redemption for addressing the phenomenon of what Taylor calls being spiritually out of joint in a new way, notwithstanding the conceptual and practical problems behind his proposal. GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, & AWARDS 14. (Forthcoming) Residential Research Fellowship Humility & Conviction in Public Life; UConn Humanities Institute and The John Templeton Foundation (US $25000 and campus residence) 13. Best of Indy 2016 Article - Rodrigo Duterte: Seeking Shelter in a Terrifying Father Figure ; https://indypendent.org/2016/12/30/best-2016-52-reasonssupport-indy 12. National Teaching Excellence Award Nominee; Open Universities Australia 2016 11. Research Funding, MQ Philosophy Department (AU $250); Australasian Association of Philosophy Conference, Macquarie University; Jul 2015 10. Postgraduate Award, Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy and UC Dublin School of Philosophy ( 220); Ireland - Summer Institute on The Reaches of Pragmatism ; Jun 2015 9. Research Funding, MQ Philosophy Department (AU $3000); Ireland - Summer Institute on The Reaches of Pragmatism ; Jun 2015 8. Research Funding, MQ Philosophy Department (AU $5000); Research visit: United States - UC Berkeley (Prof. Hubert Dreyfus), UC Irvine (Richard Rorty Archive), and A/Prof. Mary Varney Rorty; Jan 2011 7. Research Funding, MQ Philosophy Department (AU $266); Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy Conference, University of Western Sydney; Dec 2013 6. Postgraduate Award, The Japan Foundation and the Australasian Universities, Languages & Literature Association (AU $500); Worldmaking Congress, University of Queensland; Jul 2013 5. Research Funding, MQ Philosophy Department (AU $1330); New Zealand - Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy Conference, University of Auckland; Dec 2012 4. Research Funding, MQ Philosophy Department (AU $115); Catholic Institute of Sydney Conference on The Expressible and the Inexpressible ; Oct 2012 3. International Research Excellence Scholarship, Macquarie University (AU $200, 000); Ph.D. tuition fee offset and living allowance; Dec 2011 to Jun 2015 2. Scholarship, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt ( 2200); Summer academy in Germany on Human Rights and Natural Law: An Intercultural Perspective ; Jul-Aug 2011 1. Research Grants, Christ University (US $700) and University of Santo Tomas (PhP 10000) - Bangalore, India: Mysticism Without Bounds Conference; Jan 2011 3
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS * Refereed, ^ Invited 15. Polytheism from Nietzsche to Rorty Philosophy of Religion Workshop, University of Notre Dame, Australia (Apr 2017) ^ 14. The Cultural Problem of Nihilism Religion and Society Interdisciplinary Workshop, MQ University (Feb 2017) * 13. Redemption and Nihilism: Rorty vs. Taylor, Dreyfus, and Kelly Richard Rorty Society Inaugural Meeting, Hamilton College, New York, United States (Sep 2016) * 12. Self-creation and Solidarity as Strategies for Self-enlargement Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy Conference, University of New South Wales, Australia (Dec 2015) * 11. Redemption in a Secular Age Institute for Ethics and Society Research Seminar, University of Notre Dame, Australia (Aug 2015) ^ Conférence Mondiale des Institutions Universitaires Catholiques de Philosophie Conference, Australian Catholic University, Australia (Jul 2015); Civil Society and Human Formation * 10. Rethinking the Relationship between Egotism and Nihilism Australasian Association of Philosophy Conference, Macquarie University, Australia (Jul 2015) * Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy - Summer Institute, UC Dublin, Ireland (Jun 2015); The Reaches of Pragmatism * Macquarie University Research Seminar, Australia (Jun 2015) ^ 9. Rorty and Redemption Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy Conference, University of Western Sydney, Australia (Dec 2013) * 8. Of Private Selves and Public Morals: Philosophy and Literature in Modernity Australasian Universities, Languages & Literature Association Congress, University of Queensland, Australia (Jul 2013); Worldmaking * Research Seminar - University of Santo Tomas, Philippines (Jul 2013) ^ 7. Morality by Words: Murdoch, Nussbaum, Rorty Philosophy Research Seminar - De La Salle University, Philippines (Dec 2012) ^ Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy Conference, University of Auckland, New Zealand (Dec 2012) * 6. On the Immanent Counter-Enlightenment Biennial Conference in Philosophy, Religion and Culture, Catholic Institute of Sydney, Australia (Oct 2012); The Expressible and the Inexpressible * Macquarie University Research Seminar, Australia (Sep 2012) ^ 5. On Pragmatism, Religion, and Liberalism The Quadricentennial International Philosophy Congress, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines (May 2011); Thomism and Asian Cultures * 4. Shattering Tradition: Rorty on Edification and Hermeneutics Philosophical Association of the Philippines Conference, Miriam College, Philippines (Apr 2011) * 3. Gracing the Reconfigured Space: The Rortyan Imagination and the Ricoeurean Narrative The Grace of Space: Tribute Lectures in Honor of Prof. Leovino Ma. Garcia, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines (Jan 2011) ^ 4
2. Mysticism: Epistemologized and De-Politicized Through Pragmatism Mysticism Without Bounds Conference, Christ University, Bangalore, India (Jan 2011) * 1. Breaking the Mirrored Man: Rorty and Pragmatism Philosophical Association of the Philippines Conference (Apr 2010) * TEACHING Postgraduate Tutoring Research Paradigms / Masters of Research Unit - 2017 Term 1, Macquarie University, Australia Undergraduate Lecturing Ethics - 2010 Term 1, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines Logic - 2010 Term 1, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines Guest Lecturing Philosophy of Religion - 2017 Term 1, University of Notre Dame, Australia Philosophy of Religion - 2013 Term 2, Macquarie University, Australia Tutoring Theories of Justice - 2015 Period 3 for Open Universities Australia Philosophy of Religion - 2017 Term 1, 2016 Term 1, 2013 Term 2 for Macquarie University / 2017 Period 1, 2016 Periods 2 & 4, 2015 Period 4 for Open Universities Australia Happiness Goodness and Justice (also Philosophy, Morality and Society) - 2016 Term 2, 2013 Term 1 for Macquarie University / 2016 Period 1, 2015 Period 2 for Open Universities Australia Unit Development Philosophy of Religion - 2016 for Macquarie University & Open Universities Australia Metaphysics - 2016 for Macquarie University & Open Universities Australia ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 5. Volunteer, Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy Conference, University of New South Wales, Australia, 2015 4. Convener, Hegel Reading Group - Macquarie University, Australia, 2013 3. Discussant, Foundations of Research in Modern European Philosophy: Kant s Critique of Pure Reason - Macquarie University, Australia, 2013 2. Committee Chair, Secretariat - Quadricentennial Philosophy Congress, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, 2011 1. Convener, Plato & Kant Reading Group - University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, 2010 Journal Referee: Kritike (University of Santo Tomas, Philippines) and Scientia (San Beda College, Philippines) 5
REFERENCES Nicholas H. Smith (Referee for Research & Teaching) Professor, Department of Philosophy Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia (61 2) 9850 8881 nicholas.smith@mq.edu.au Marianne Janack (Referee for Research) Professor and Chair of Philosophy Director, Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center President, The Richard Rorty Society (2017-2019) Hamilton College, New York, USA (1) 315-859-4127 mjanack@hamilton.edu Jean-Philippe Deranty (Referee for Research) A/Professor, Department of Philosophy Macquarie University, Australia (61 2) 9850 6773 jp.deranty@mq.edu.au Jennifer Duke-Yonge (Referee for Teaching) Lecturer, Department of Philosophy Macquarie University, Australia (61 2) 9850 8826 jennifer.duke-yonge@mq.edu.au Alfredo P. Co (Referee for Research) Professor Emeritus, University of Santo Tomas President, Philippine Academy of Philosophical Research Co-Chair, Technical Panel for Humanities Education Chairman, Technical Committee for Philosophy Philippine Commission on Higher Education (00-63-2) 713-5042 alfredco2002@yahoo.com 6