Royal Society of Canada Recognition for Dr. Chloe Taylor
As the country's oldest and most prestigious scholarly institution, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) annually recognizes outstanding scholarship, research and achievement in the arts, humanities and sciences elects. Dr. Chloe Taylor, an Assistant Professor of Philosophy and of Women's and Gender Studies, was inducted to the RSC' inaugural College for New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists. This honour recognizes Taylor's growing scholarly reputation, established by way of her prolific publication record and consistent success in securing funding for her projects. Together these have made her work extremely well known in academic circles across North America and Europe; Chloe Taylor's work is consistently imbued with social relevance, and is of obvious interest outside academic circles as well. In keeping with the best traditions of both philosophy and feminist cultural criticism, she has never shied away from taking uncomfortable positions on difficult topics, in ways that can help all of us better understand and grapple with the world around us. While tackling seemingly diverse topics as suicide, sexual dysfunction, animal ethics and food, Taylor's writings are held together by two significant threads: a willingness to explore the dynamics of violence and vulnerability, and a resistance to the medicalization of social problems. For instance, she urges her readers to think outside the conventional medical and psychological explanations for the phenomenon of suicide; instead of focusing on individual pathologies such as depression or a chemical imbalance in the brain as causal factors, Taylor asks what social institutions make certain individuals vulnerable to committing suicide, and how the pressures of race, class and gender can intensify that vulnerability. The Departments of Women's and Gender Studies and of Philosophy congratulate Prof. Taylor on her achievements, and look forward to many more years of enlightening feminist work.