The all-male canon in early modern philosophy has remained essentially fixed in teaching and research for 50 years. While this reflects women’s exclusion from early modern intellectual life, historical research reveals that many women still managed to influence philosophical debates, including those of canonical figures.

Project Vox is a digital publishing initiative that aims to fill significant lacunae in the canon of western philosophy by highlighting the achievements of early modern women. Since its inception in Fall 2014, the Vox website has grown to include biographical essays on overlooked female philosophers; teaching resources aimed at instructors of philosophy courses; extensive visual and bibliographical materials for both students and scholars; and an active digital presence through blog posts and social media.

Key accomplishments of the Project Vox team in 2019-2020 included publication of an entry on Anna Maria van Schurman; research for new philosopher entries on Mary Shepherd and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz; assessment of scholarly use of the Project Vox website; publication of a credits page with citations, entry versions and clearly defined team roles; and partnership with an Art History course to research images.

Timing

Summer 2019 – Spring 2020

Team Outputs

Anna Maria van Schurman. Andrew Janiak, Elizabeth Milewicz, Roy Auh, Mattia Begali, Katherine Brading, Susanna Caviglia, William Shaw, Cheryl Thomas, Meredith Graham, Jane Harwell, Qiu Lin, Nicholas Smolenski, Jackson Cooksey, James Kelleher, Sandra Luksic, Katherine Owensby, Damla Ozdemir. 2020. projectvox.com.

“Extraordinary” Women in Philosophy (Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase 2020)

This Team in the News

These Ph.D. Graduates Leveraged Bass Connections and Other Interdisciplinary Opportunities

Revealing Voices: Meredith Graham

Unearthing the “Extraordinary” Women in Early Modern Philosophy

Meet the Members of the 2019-2020 Bass Connections Student Advisory Council

See related teams, Project Vox: Recovering the World of Women Philosophers in Early Modern Europe (2020-2021) and Project Vox (2018-2019).

Image: Project Vox website