Kathie Jenni
she/her/hersAbout
Kathie Jenni completed the B.A. in Philosophy at the University of Montana and the Ph.D. in Philosophy at the University of California, Irvine. She spent a year as an Ethics in Society Fellow at Stanford University before taking her current position at Redlands. Her work in Animal Ethics, Environmental Ethics and Moral Psychology has been published in journals such as Animal Studies, Environmental Studies, the Journal for Critical Animal Studies, The Journal of Chinese Philosophy, The Journal of Applied Philosophy, and Social Theory and Practice. Kathie shepherded Redlands' interdisciplinary Human-Animal Studies minor to adoption in 2008, and serves as Director of that program.
Education
- Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of California, Irvine, 1987
- M.A. in Philosophy, University of California, Irvine, 1980
- B.A. in Philosophy (High Honors), University of Montana, 1976
Professional Background
- U of R (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor), 1988-present
- Stanford University (Ethics in Society Fellow), 1987-88
- Chapman University (Instructor), 1984-85
- University of California, Irvine (Visiting Lecturer in Philosophy, 1985-86, Teaching Associate in Humanities, 1980-82,
- Teaching Assistant in Philosophy, 1982-84)
- Irvine Valley College (Instructor), 1982-84
Publications
“Defining Animal Maltreatment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives,” in Animals as Crime Victims, edited by Lacey Levitt, David B. Rosengard, and Jessica Rubin, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024.
“Animals, Empathy, and Deadly Vices,” Animal Studies Journal, Vol. 10, No. 2 (2021).
“Bearing Witness for the Animal Dead,” Proceedings of the XXIII World Congress of Philosophy Vol. 12, 2018.
“Scientific Advances and Moral Inertia,” Invited Commentary on Lori Marino’s “The Inconvenient Truth about Thinking Chickens,” Animal Sentience 17(9) (Fall 2017).
"Empathy and Moral Laziness," Animal Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 2 (2016).
The Philosophy of Animal Rights: A Brief Introduction for Students and Teachers (with Mylan Engel Jr.), Lantern Press, 2010.
Presentations
“Ethics in Practice: Can Philosophers Change the World?” (with Ramona Ilea, Julinna Oxley, and Michael D. Burroughs), Special Session on Experiential Learning in Philosophy, Rocky Mountain Ethics (RoME) Conference, August 7, 2015.
“Taking Philosophy to the Streets: Pedagogies to Engage Students and Communities,” Workshop (with Susan Hawthorne, Ramona Ilea, and Julinna Oxley) for Advancing Public Philosophy: Third Biennial Conference of the Public Philosophy Network, San Francisco, CA, July 12, 2015.
“Bearing Witness for the Animal Dead,” XXIII World Congress of Philosophy Ethics Section, Athens, Greece, August 4, 2013.
Invited commentary on Jeremy Garrett, editor, The Ethics of Animal Research: Exploring the Controversy (MIT Press, 2012), Society for the Study of Ethics & Animals, Pacific Division American Philosophical Association meetings, San Francisco, March 28, 2013.
“Bearing Witness for the Animal Dead,” Animal Death conference, University of Sydney (Australia), July 2012.
“When a ‘Shelter’ Doesn’t: Problems of Spirit and Practice for Animal Defenders,” invited presentation for session on the Human-Animal Bond, Association for Humanist Sociology Annual Meeting, Chicago-Evanston, October 15, 2011.
“Does It Matter What I Do? Student Engagement, Social Change and Teaching,” refereed panel participant for American Philosophical Association (Central Division) session on Teaching Philosophy, April 1, 2011.
“Bearing Witness, Justice, and Respect for Animals,” invited presentation for Tom Regan: A Celebration, a workshop commemorating Tom Regan’s 35 years of work in animal rights philosophy, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, April 15-16, 2011.
“Animals and Education: Possibilities in Universities,” invited presentation for the Association for Humanist Sociology Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, November 2010.
"Bearing Witness to Animal Suffering," presented at the Minding Animals International Academic and Community Conference on Animals and Society, Newcastle, Australia, July 2009.
"Animals and Education: Possibilities in Universities," presented at the Minding Animals International Conference on Animals and Society, Newcastle, Australia, July 2009.
"The Power of the Visual: the Role of Images in Moral Motivation," presented at Of Aesthetics and Ethics: a Conference on Visual Values, University of South Florida, 2008.
"Images, Empathy, and Moral Motivation," invited presentation for the Association for Humanist Sociology, Henderson, NV, 2007.
"Human-Animal Studies in Philosophy," the Inaugural Animals and Society Institute Fellowship in Human-Animal studies, North Carolina State University, 2007.
"Images, Empathy, and Animals," presented at the Thinking About Animals conference, Brock University, 2007.
"The Best-Kept Environmental Secrets," invited presentation for Earth Day, Northern Illinois University Vegetarian Education Group, 2007.
Awards and service
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Outstanding Teaching Award, 2019.
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Nomination for Professor of the Year, U of R Mortar Board, 2015
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Public Policy Curriculum Grant for “Animal Ethics and Policy,” U of R Public Policy Program, 2014
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Robert Morlan Award, U of R Phi Beta Kappa Chapter, 2012
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“Bearing Witness for the Animal Dead” (2012),
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Frank J. Rice Memorial Service Award (U of R), 2010
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“HAST Internship Exploration at Kindness Ranch” (2009).
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Innovative Teaching Award for "Taking Animals Seriously" (U of R), 2004
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Outstanding Service Award (U of R), 2000
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Outstanding Teaching Award (U of R), 1994
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Teaching Prize for "Outstanding Teaching in the Humanities" (Graves Awards Foundation), 1995
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University nomination for the Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service Learning, 2003
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American Philosophical Association award for Community Service Learning course development, 2002
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Faculty Research Grants (U of R) for "Empathy and Animals" (2007), "Western Environmental Ethics" (2004), "On the Power of the Visual" (2001) and "The Moral Responsibilities of Intellectuals" (2000), "Ethics Across the Curriculum Grants for "Animal Ethics and Service" (May Term 2011), "Taking Animals Seriously" (May Term 2008) , U of R Banta Center for Business, Ethics and Society.
Areas of Expertise
- Animal Ethics
- Environmental Ethics
- Moral Psychology