Lynne Tirrell

Lynne Tirrell is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut. Her research sits at the intersection of philosophy of language, social philosophy, and political philosophy, with a focus on how linguistic practices can perpetuate social injustice or violate human rights.

• 2018-2019: Fellow in Residence at UConn Humanities Institute, working on Toxic Speech (Oxford University Press).
• Collaborative work on "emergent forgiveness" with Alisa Carse (Georgetown University).

Her research spans topics like the role of language in genocide, hate speech, racist discourse, and feminist philosophy of language. She has also written on metaphor, storytelling, and the ethics of apology. Her work draws on interdisciplinary methods, including social epidemiology and pragmatist philosophy.

Recent publications explore toxic speech, discursive harm, post-genocide language policies in Rwanda, and the limits of counterspeech. These works emphasize the social epidemiology of discursive toxicity and its role in facilitating systemic injustice.

Scientific awards include:

• Fellow in Residence, UConn Humanities Institute (2018-2019).

Lynne has published extensively on the ethical dimensions of speech, including books and articles on pornography, hate speech, and transitional justice in post-genocide societies.