Annie Larivée

Biography

I completed my first level of studies and my M.A. at the Université de Montréal, in the context of which I also spent some time at the University of Leipzig for a German study abroad program. After five years of study at the Sorbonne (Université de Paris I), I defended my doctoral thesis on Plato in 2003. In light of the work of Pierre Hadot, Michel Foucault and Martha Nussbaum on the therapeutic aim of ancient philosophy, my thesis consisted in demonstrating how a therapeutic reading creates the possibility for a new interpretation –which is both ethical and political– of the Platonic corpus in its entirety. In 2004-2006, I was the beneficiary of a SSHRC post-doctoral fellowship and worked as Replacement Professor at the University of Ottawa, and as lecturer at the Université de Montréal. I also spent a year in the Niagara region where I worked as an Assistant Professor at Brock University (2006-07). I have been teaching at Carleton University since 2007.

Research Interest

By what means can human beings orchestrate their own transformation? Can philosophy consist in an art of self-shaping and care for one’s self? If this is the case, what is unique about philosophy as a technique of self-transformation? Lying at the borders of psychology, medicine, ethics and politics, these are the main questions directing my research in ancient philosophy. Although I specialize in the study of Greek philosophy, my aim is not only to explain ancient texts in the light of their specific historical context but also to stimulate contemporary thought by recalling certain ancient ideas, questions and reflections that can enrich our philosophical experience today. In addition to this, I am deeply interested in Gender Studies –especially in the work of Judith Butler and Susan Bordo– and over the past several years I devoted special attention to the thought of Michel Foucault in both my teaching and research activities. These authors provide us with precious resources to bring to light the constructed and malleable nature of the self in relation to social norms, hence my interest in their work. A research grant from the SSHRC (2007-2010) has allowed me to complete a research project which will soon result in the publication of a book on the question of the care of the self in both ancient and contemporary contexts, and I also intend to publish a revised version of my doctoral thesis on Plato within the next few years.