Villanova University

Graduate Student, Philosophy

Other Affiliations: Penn State Brandywine, Philosophy
Villanova University, Theology and Religious Studies

About

Mark William Westmoreland teaches Philosophy at Penn State-Brandywine (2008-present) and, formerly, Neumann University (2007-2010).  He served as a tutor in the Writing Center at Villanova University (2010-2011) and also served as an assistant to the editors of the Journal for Peace and Justice Studies at the Center for Peace and Justice Education at Villanova University (2008-2010).  His research interests include Continental Philosophy, Race Theory, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of History and Culture, and intersections between contemporary continental philosophy, political theory, and religion. 

Mark's partner Laura is a ceramic artist and teaches art classes at a local community arts center. They have a beautiful daughter named Brynne. In their leisure time, Laura and Mark enjoy hiking, camping, exploring unfamiliar places, and venturing into new experiences. "There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, / There is a rapture on the lonely shore..."
_________________________________________________

a. Ph.D. in Philosophy,
        Villanova University (ant. 2016)
b. M.A. in Philosophy,
        Villanova University (ant. 2013)
c. Certificate in Advanced Theological Studies,
        Villanova University  (ant. 2012)
d. M.A. in Theology and Religious Studies,
        Villanova University (2010)
e. M.A. in Philosophy,
        University of Memphis (2007)
f.  B.A. in English Literature and Interdisciplinary Honors,
        Union University (2005)
_________________________________________________

Mark is currently teaching "Introduction to Ethics" and "Philosophy, Politics, and Social Theory" at Penn State-Brandywine. At Villanova, he is the TA for Prof. Gabriel Rockhill's "Social and Political Philosophy" course.

Recently taught "Philosophy and Feminism" at Penn State-Brandywine. At Villanova, he was the TA for Prof. Annika Thiem's senior research seminar titled "Political Theology."

In the summer, Mark will teach "Social and Political Philosophy." In the fall, he will be teaching "Bioethics."

Courses taught at Penn State-Brandywine:
-Basic Problems of Philosophy
-Bioethics
-Existentialism and European Philosophy
-Introduction to Ethics
-Philosophy and Feminism
-Philosophy and Literature
-Philosophy and Technology
-Philosophy, Nature, and the Environment
-Philosophy, Politics, and Social Theory
-Philosophy, Race, and Diversity
-Social and Political Philosophy


Courses taught at Neumann University:
-Business Ethics
-Ethics
-Introduction to Philosophy

_________________________________________________

Recently finished a research project on St. Paul as a political dissident as exemplified through the subversive political rhetoric within his undisputed letters.

Editing a paper on Heidegger's influence on Catholic (Rahner), Protestant (Tillich) and Orthodox (Yannaras) Anthropology.

Completing a proposal for a book on continental theory/theories on Race (genealogy, embodiment, politics, etc.).

Taking a hiatus from writing an essay on animality in Hobbes.  Following Kelly Oliver’s investigation of the relationship between the animal and the human in Rousseau’s political writings, I inquire into this same relationship in Hobbes (see _Animal Lessons_).  Rather than portraying animality and humanity in perpetual conflict, I suggest that neither be understood solely through their alleged negations—the animal is not human, the human is not animal—and that a (political) philosophy of life must place both the human and the animal within the same porous ontological whole.  On the one hand, neither metaphysical separation nor biological continuism provides a satisfactory account of political responsibility.  On the other hand, if such a responsibility is necessary for politics, then how might it be affected when otherness is (re)configured to include the “animals”? 

Contact Information