Dr Paul Reid-Bowen

Personal statement

Paul Reid-Bowen joined Bath Spa University in 2002 as a part-time lecturer and became a full-time member of staff in 2004. His teaching and research interests include ecological and environmental philosophy, existentialism, contemporary formations of religion (most notably paganisms, nature religions and new religious movements), feminist philosophies, and critical and reductionist theories of religion. He has published Goddess as Nature: Towards a Philosophical Thealogy (Ashgate 2007), an analysis and constructive development of the reality-claims of the contemporary Goddess movement. His interests are quite broad, but they are united by a desire to direct philosophical attention towards the categories of ecology and nature.

He has previously published and delivered papers in the subject areas of animism, apocalypse, collapse, embodiment, ecology, feminist and pagan concepts of deity, Hinduism and the methodological problems of men working with(in) feminist academic disciplines. He is currently working on a book manuscript on the ecological future and the crisis of civilization.

Academic qualifications

• BA Lampeter
• MA Lampeter
• PhD University of Gloucestershire.

Professional qualifications

• Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Learning.

Professional memberships

• British Association for the Study of Religions
• British Philosophical Association.

Other external roles

• External Examiner, MA in Engaged Ecology, Schumacher College, 2020 - present
• External Examiner, BA in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2020 - present
• Editorial Board: Reframing Continental Philosophy of Religion Series (Rowan and Littlefield International).
• Editorial Board: Goddess Thealogy: An International Journal for the Study of Feminism and Religion.

Prizes or shortlistings

• 1997 Mary Radcliffe Scholarship, University of Wales, Lampeter.
• 1996 Alan Talbot Prize for Religious Studies, University of Wales, Lampeter.
• 1994, 1995 Philosophy Bursaries for course work excellence University of Wales, Lampeter.

Teaching specialism

Ecological and Environmental Philosophy; Existentialism; New, Alternative and Pagan Religions; Method and Theory in the Study of Religions; feminist philosophy; feminist theology/thealogy.

Current scholarship

Development of a protracted book project on collapse and the ecological future.

Conferences

'The Size of God Revisited: Object-Oriented Ontology and the Aporias of Pantheism.' Thinking the Absolute: Speculation, Philosophy and the End of Religion, Liverpool Hope University, 29th June-1st July 2012

'Contesting Capitalist Sorcery: "Peak Everything" as Apocalyptic Prophecy.' Don't Panic!: The Apocalypse in Theory and Culture, University of Kent, 25th-26th May 2012

'Ecological Philosophy and Transitioning to a Post-Peak (Post-)Humanities.' Nature and the Natural in the Humanities: Teaching for Environmental Sustainability, University of Birmingham, 27th April 2012.

'It's the End of the World as we Know it (and I feel fine)' Keynote. Big Questions and Alternative Answers, SACRE/BANES, Bath Spa University, 6th July 2011.

'What if the End is Near? The Ethics and Philosophy of Human Extinction' Bath Royal and Literary and Scientific Institution, 5th October 2010.

'On the Potential of Blended Learning: Some Reflections on Assessment, Progression and Philosophy Curriculum Design' A Level Above? Progression to Undergraduate Studies in Philosophy Conference, St Anne's College, University of Oxford, 2nd July 2009.

with Catherine Robinson, 'Staff Expectations and Student Experience: A Case Study of First Year Undergraduate Curriculum Planning and Evaluation' Spoonfeeding or Critical Thinking? 'A' Level / Higher to First Year Progression in Religious Studies and Theology, St Anne's College, University of Oxford, 3rd-4th July 2008.

'The Divided Goddess: Schisms and Trends in 21st Century Goddess Feminism' Research Seminar, Cardiff University, 14th April 2008.

'"Goddess is Good Business": Commodification and global activism in the contemporary Goddess movement' BASR Conference, Bath Spa University, 4th-6th September 2006.

'Subversive Bodies and the Feminist Physique', Embodiment and Environment Conference, Oxford Brookes University, 5th-8th July 2005

'Great Goddess, Elemental Nature or Chora? Philosophical contentions and constructs in contemporary Goddess feminism' Women and the Divine Conference, University of Liverpool and Liverpool Hope University College, 17th-19th June 2005.

'The Becoming of Goddess/Nature: Natality and Ontology in the Thealogical Imagination', The Center for Gender and Religions Research, SOAS, 27th October 2004

'Men and Thealogy' presented at Goddess Studies Now!, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, 27th March 2001.

'New Age Ecclesiology: Reflections on the Boundaries of Christian Identity' presented at the Annual University of Gloucestershire Theology Colloquium, July 2000.

'Sexing the Real: Value and Feminist Metaphysics' presented at the Association of University Departments of Theology and Religious Studies Postgraduate Conference, University of Stirling, 16th June 2000.

'Discourse and the Goddess: Reflections on Thealogical Method and Theory' presented at the Fifth Joint Postgraduate Conference, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Bristol, 18th March 2000.

'Reflexive Transformations: Research Comments on Me(n), Feminist Philosophy and the Thealogical Imagination' presented at the Feminist Philosophy of Religion Conference 'After Feminism: Whether or Whither Philosophy of Religion?', Centre for Comparative Studies in Religion and Gender, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Bristol, 4th March 2000.

'Essentialism and the Goddess: Method and Theory in Thealogy' presented at the Association of University Departments of Theology and Religious Studies Postgraduate Conference, University of Derby, 13th April 1999.