Samantha Jane Brennan is a British-born philosopher who works primarily in the fields of ethics, applied ethics, and feminist philosophy. She is Dean of the College of Arts and a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Guelph.
Previously, she served as a professor in the Department of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research at Western University (Canada), and held appointments in Philosophy at Western, including terms as Chair of the Department of Philosophy (2002 to 2007 and 2008 to 2011). She was President of the Canadian Philosophical Association from 2017 to 2018.
Employment
University of Guelph
- Dean, College of Arts — Jan 2018–Dec 2022
- Reappointed for a second term: Jan 2023–Dec 2027 (extended to May 2028)
Western University
- Professor, Women’s Studies and Feminist Research — 2015–2017
- Professor, Philosophy — Jul 2008–2015
- Chair, Department of Philosophy — 2002–2007; 2008–2011
- Associate Professor, Philosophy — Jul 1998–Jun 2008
- Assistant Professor, Philosophy — 1993–Jun 1998
- Member, Rotman Institute of Philosophy
Education
- PhD, Philosophy, University of Illinois at Chicago — Oct 1993
Dissertation: Thresholds for Rights
Supervisor: Shelly Kagan - Honours BA, Philosophy, Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS) — May 1988
- Foundation Year Program, University of King’s College (Halifax, NS) — 1982–1983
Honours and Awards
- Visiting Fellow, Department of Philosophy, University of Otago (New Zealand) — Feb–Mar 2025
- Visiting Faculty Fellow, Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto (Ontario, Canada) — Jan–Jul 2017; Mar–May 2025
- Taylor Fellow, Department of Philosophy, University of Otago (New Zealand) — Jan–Jun 2012
- Visiting Faculty Fellow, Social and Political Theory, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University — Sep–Dec 2011; Sep 2007–Jun 2008
- Faculty Scholar, Western University, 2005 – 2007.