Kathryn Norlock

Kathryn Norlock is a Professor of Philosophy and the Kenneth Mark Drain Endowed Chair in Ethics at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. She joined Trent in 2010 after serving as a professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Dr. Norlock holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2001). As of June 2025, she serves as the Interim Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences.

• Key Roles: Kenneth Mark Drain Endowed Chair in Ethics, Interim Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, Co-Founder/Co-Editor of Feminist Philosophy Quarterly.

Her research centers on moral philosophy and ethical virtues, particularly forgiveness, framed through the lens of a relational self in non-ideal contexts. She explores interdisciplinary topics such as:

• Evil, oppression, and complaining
• Miscarriage and pregnancy loss
• Environmental ethics
• Inclusive pedagogy in education
• Misanthropy and non-ideal ethical theory

Dr. Norlock co-founded the open-access journal Feminist Philosophy Quarterly, advancing feminist scholarship and accessibility in academic publishing. Her work bridges theoretical inquiry with applied ethics, emphasizing practical implications for marginalized communities and environmental justice.