معرفی
Dee Payton serves as Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Virginia's College of Arts & Sciences, holding appointments in both the Corcoran Department of Philosophy and as a member of the UVA Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Affiliated Faculty. Payton currently chairs the APA Committee on LGBTQ People in the Profession, demonstrating leadership in advancing LGBTQ representation within academic philosophy.
Payton's educational background includes a BA in Philosophy from Western Washington University (2017) and a PhD in Philosophy from Rutgers University, New Brunswick (2021), complemented by a Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Rutgers University. Their research spans analytic feminist philosophy, social metaphysics, and material analyses of oppression, with significant contributions to philosophy of sexuality, philosophy of race, ethics, and philosophy of language.
Payton's scholarly work demonstrates consistent engagement with social ontology and the metaphysics of identity, bridging theoretical philosophy with practical concerns about social justice. Their publications reveal an evolving trajectory from foundational questions about social properties to more applied analyses of BDSM practices and identity politics, all while maintaining a commitment to connecting rigorous metaphysical analysis with emancipatory political goals.
As an educator, Payton has developed undergraduate courses including Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Ethics, Philosophy of Moral Responsibility, Metaphysics, Feminist Philosophy, and Philosophy of Abortion and Reproductive Healthcare (for which they received the Institute for Practical Ethics Donchian-Casteen Faculty Teaching Fellowship). At the graduate level, they have instructed seminars on Social Philosophy, Social Ontology & Metaphysical Methodology, and Social Metaphysics & Social Construction.
Payton maintains an active research agenda with multiple works in progress addressing topics such as systemic marginalization, faith in revolutionary political projects, and the intersection of aesthetics and morality in sexual contexts. They are currently developing new courses including Philosophy of Milton's Paradise Lost and Philosophy of Sexual Ethics, and are on academic sabbatical in Fall 2025 to focus on research.
