Irina Ruvinsky

Irina Ruvinsky is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Liberal Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). She holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Chicago (2009), a BA in Philosophy/Psychology from NYU (1995), and a degree in French Literature from the Sorbonne (2003). Her academic career includes fellowships such as the Bourse Chateaubriand (2002), François Furet (2005), and Doolittle-Harrison (2006).

Her research focuses on memory, displacement, and exile, informed by her experience as a Jewish refugee from the former Soviet Union. She explores interdisciplinary connections between philosophy, literature, and the arts, particularly through the lens of German Romanticism and Marcel Proust's work. At SAIC, she emphasizes critical thinking and persuasive writing, teaching courses like FYS I: Russian Short Stories, FYS II: Romantic Fairy Tales, and Top: Philosophy of Memory.

Ruvinsky’s teaching philosophy prioritizes intellectual risk-taking and collaborative analysis. She has conducted research in Paris via the Chateaubriand Fellowship and presented her work at national/international conferences. Her courses integrate historical and philosophical themes, such as the role of art in addressing modern alienation and the interplay between fantasy and political ideology in Russian literature.