Rebecca Roache

Rebecca Roache serves as Senior Lecturer in Philosophy within the Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, and maintains an affiliation as Informal Visitor at the Uehiro Oxford Institute, University of Oxford. Her scholarly work bridges theoretical philosophy with practical applications in ethics, psychiatry, and technology.

Education:

• BA (Hons) Philosophy, University of Leeds
• MA Philosophy, University of Leeds
• MPhil Philosophy, University of Cambridge
• PhD Philosophy, University of Cambridge

Research Focus: Roache's scholarship centers on Metaphysics (with specialization in philosophy of time, free will, and personal identity), Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Psychiatry, Applied Ethics, and Philosophy of Technology. Her influential work in linguistic philosophy—particularly on swearing and humor—is exemplified by her 2023 monograph For Fuck's Sake: Why Swearing is Shocking, Rude & Fun. She actively contributes to psychiatric discourse through analyses of the biopsychosocial model and reductionism, advocating for ethically grounded approaches to mental health.

Publication Trends: Analysis of her 2018-2025 publications reveals sustained engagement with language-ethics intersections (especially swearing's psychological and social dimensions) and foundational questions in psychiatric philosophy. Her work appears in high-impact venues like Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology and Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements, demonstrating consistent interdisciplinary rigor.

Research Funding: As Co-Investigator for the European Commission-funded EXFILES project (2020-2023), she contributed to developing forensic methodologies for extracting data from encrypted smartphones—a direct application of her technology ethics expertise to law enforcement challenges.

Professional Engagement: Roache extends her scholarship through active participation in the Oxford Practical Ethics blog, a dedicated podcast on passive aggression, and alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals targeting mental health and well-being.