EDUCATION

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Doctoral Student (ABD), Department of Philosophy, Temple University (2007 - present)
     Visiting Study
          Visiting Scholar, Department of Philosophy, Columbia University (2010 - present)
          Department of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania (Elisabeth Camp and Paul Guyer) (Spring 2008/9)
     Independent Study
          Philip Alperson, Department of Philosophy, Temple University (Fall 2009)
          Lydia Goehr, Department of Philosophy, Columbia University (Fall/Spring 2009)
     Language Study
          German A1/2, Deutsches-Haus at New York University (Fall 2010)
          German Scholarly Reading Certification, Princeton University (Summer 2008)
     M.A. Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Temple University (2010)

B.Sc. Hons. Philosophy and Economics, London School of Economics (2003)
     Dissertation: Representation and Objectivity in Art


AREAS OF EXPERTISE

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Areas of Specialization: Aesthetics, Philosophy of Music, Social and Political Philosophy
Areas of Competence: History of Modern Philosophy (especially Hume and Kant), Philosophy of Mind


DISSERTATION

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My dissertation research addresses the role of values in conceptual frameworks of music, and their effects on philosophical claims about music where there are issues of fit at the conceptual level among music in different cultural paradigms, with particular emphasis on comparative analysis of European classical music and Persian art music. Leveraging an interdisciplinary approach, my research analyses the relation between conceptual claims about music in philosophy, and diverse musical, social, and political practices, with a focus on the role of values in these contexts. I draw on contemporary analytic philosophy of music; 19th and 20th century continental philosophy; contemporary theory on globalization and culture in social and political philosophy, critical theory, and Iranian studies; ethnomusicology; as well as Persian aesthetics, music history, and music theory. The aim of this research is threefold: first, to articulate a contribution to research in the relation between concepts, practices, and values in philosophy; second, to build on attempts to diversify philosophy of music by the inclusion of wider cultural and musical perspectives; and third, to raise awareness of social practices and insights from underrepresented domains within Persian culture.

Committee: Philip Alperson (Temple University, Supervisor), Kristin Gjesdal (Temple University), Lydia Goehr (Columbia University), Espen Hammer (Temple University)


FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

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Graduate School Senior Doctoral Fellowship, Center for the Humanities, Temple University (2011 - 2012)
Future Faculty Fellowship, Graduate School, Temple University (2007 - 2011)
London School of Economics Foundation Scholarship, London School of Economics (2000 - 2003)
London Access Award, University of London (2002 - 2003)


PRIZES AND AWARDS

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Nordev Prize for best graduate paper in Philosophy: "Perfectionism in Green and Kant," Temple University (2009)
Travel Awards:
     American Society for Aesthetics Graduate Student Travel Award (2010)
     College of Liberal Arts Graduate Student Travel Award, Temple University (2010)
     Department of Philosophy Travel Award, Temple University (2010)


PUBLICATIONS

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Teaching Practices in Persian Art Music
     The Oxford Handbook of Music Education Philosophy (Oxford University Press, forthcoming).


PRESENTATIONS

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Beauty and Pleasure in Critical Formalism and Kant's Aesthetics: A Commentary on T. Mulherin's "Is a Kantian Music Formalism Possible?" First Biannual Meeting of the North American Kant Society, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (June 2011)

Teaching Practices in Persian Art Music, Annual Conference for the Music and Arts of the City of Hafez, Fars Scholarly Institute, University of Hafez in Shiraz, and Urban Cultural Museum; Tehran, Iran (October 2010)

Eloquence, Oration, and Conversion in Hume's 'Of Tragedy:' A Commentary on C. Williams "On Mere Suffering: A Re-Reading of Hume's 'Of Tragedy,'" American Society for Aesthetics Annual Conference, Victoria, Canada (October 2010)

Aesthetic Response and Internal Logic in Fiction: A Commentary on C. Bartel, "The Puzzle of Historical Criticism," American Society for Aesthetics Easter Division Conference, Philadelphia, PA (April 2010)

                                    
Moral Deference and Musical Choices: A Commentary on J. Bicknell, "Reflections on John Henry," American Society for Aesthetics Eastern Division Conference; Philadelphia, PA (April 2008)


LANGUAGES

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Farsi (fluent)
French (conversant, with reading proficiency)
German (conversant, with reading proficiency)


AFFILIATIONS

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American Philosophical Association
American Society of Aesthetics
British Society of Aesthetics

 

Temple University

     Contemporary Continental Philosophy (Kristin Gjesdal)

     Greek Philosophy (David Wolfsdorf)

     History of Aesthetics (Joseph Margolis)

     Independent Study in Philosophy of Music (Philip Alperson)

     Social and Political Philosophy: Nietzsche and Foucault (Kristin Gjesdal)

     Kant (Espen Hammer)

     Philosophy of Mind (Jerrold Vision)

     Philosophy of Music (Philip Alperson)

     Prosesminar in 20th Century Philosophy (Carol Gould)             

     Secularization and Modernity*  (Espen Hammer)

     Seminar in British Empiricism (Jerrold Vision)

     Social and Political Philosophy (Carol Gould)

                       

University of Columbia

     Aesthetics and Politics: Ekphrasis* (Lydia Goehr and Tatiana Smoliarova)

     Aesthetics: Modern Survey* (Lydia Goehr)

     Metaphysics: Ontology and the Arts*(Lydia Goehr and Achille Varzi)

 

University of Pennsylvania

     Emotion in the Arts* (Paul Guyer and Elisabeth Camp)

     The Reception of Kant’s Moral Philosophy (Paul Guyer)