Ranjoo Herr

Ranjoo Herr

  • Professor, Philosophy
  • Ph.D. in Ethics, State University of New York at Buffalo
  • B.L., B.A. in Private Law, Seoul National University

Teaching Interests

Global Justice/Globalization, Philosophy of Race, Political Philosophy, Social Philosophy, Feminist Theory, East Asian Philosophy, Environment/ Consumption, Normative Ethics, Applied Ethics, Introduction to Philosophy

Research Interests

Feminist Theory (Decolonial/Third World/Transnational/Confucian Feminisms), Political Philosophy (Collective Self-Determination, Decoloniality, Human Rights, Imperialism/Colonialism, Global Justice, Nationalism), Social Philosophy (Race, Multiculturalism), Comparative Philosophy (East Asia/West)

Bio

Topics of my research intersect Feminist Theory (Decolonial/Third World/Transnational/Confucian Feminisms), Political Philosophy, and Comparative Philosophy (Confucianism and Liberal Philosophy), encompassing major philosophical themes, such as Collective Self-Determination, Decoloniality, Human Rights, Imperialism/Colonialism, Global Justice, Nationalism, and Gender Equality.

Professional Memberships

  • American Philosophical Association Present
  • Feminist Ethics and Social Theory 2001-01-01 - Present
  • Society for Women in Philosophy Present
  • National Women's Studies Association 2016-11-01 - Present
  • Association for Political Theory 2008-01-01 - Present
  • International Society for Chinese Philosophy 2017-01-01 - Present
  • Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy 2025-01-01 - Present

    • Awards and Honors

  • Bentley Faculty Grant, Bentley University
  • NEH Summer Institute Grant, National Endowment for the Humanities
  • NEH Summer Seminar Grant, National Endowment for the Humanities
  • 2015, 2017, 2018 Bentley Dean's International Travel Fund, Bentley University
  • 2014 Bentley College Center for Arts and Sciences Fellow, Bentley University
  • 2007, 2008, 2009 Bentley Publication Award (discontinued after 2009), Bentley University
  • 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Bentley Summer Research Grant, Bentley University
  • The Korea Research Foundation (Hankuk Haksul Jinheung Jaedan) Grant
  • The Best Article of the Year Award, the Korean Association of Philosophical Studies.
  • The Article of the Year Award (Woo-Am prize) offered by the American Studies Association of Korea (ASAK)

    • Scholarly Contributions and Creative Productions

    Journal Articles

  • Herr, R. (2025). Can Frickerian Accounts of Epistemic Justice Promote Decoloniality?: A Critical Examination. Episteme (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2023). Liberal Nationalism and Central American Refugees: What Is America’s National Responsibility?. Nations and Nationalism, (29) 1 264-279.
  • Herr, R. S. (2023). Overlapping Consensus View of Human Rights: A Rawlsian Conception. International Theory, (15) 1 1–23.
  • Herr, R. S. (2022). Junzi as a Confucian Feminist Ideal. Journal of Chinese Philosophy, (49) 3 240-253.
  • Herr, R. S. (2021). Indigenous Self-Determination and Gender Justice. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, (42) 3 27-Jan.
  • Herr, R. S. (2019). Confucian Democracy as Popular Sovereignty. Asian Philosophy, (29) 3 201-220.
  • Herr, R. S. (2019). Women’s Rights as Human Rights and Cultural Imperialism. Feminist Formations, (31) 3 118-142.
  • Herr, R. S. (2018). Islamist Women’s Agency and Relational Autonomy. Hypatia, (33) 2 195-215.
  • Herr, R. S., Dotson, K., Khader, S., Nyanzi, S., Fatima, S. (2017). Musings: ‘Third World Women’ or ‘Women of Color’?. Hypatia special issue, Contested Terrains: Women of Color, Third World Women, Feminisms, and Geopolitics, (32) 3
  • Herr, R. S. (2017). Too Liberal for Global Governance? International Legal Human Rights System and Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Self-Determination. Journal of International Political Theory, (13) 2
  • Herr, R. S. (2016). Can Transnational Feminist Solidarity Accommodate Nationalism? Reflections from the Case Study of Korean “Comfort Women”. Hypatia, (31) 1 41–57.
  • Herr, R. S. (2014). Reclaiming Third World Feminism: Or Why Transnational Feminism Needs Third World Feminism. Meridians: feminism, race, transnationalism, (12) 1 1–30. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2012). Confucian Family for a Feminist Future. Asian Philosophy, (22) 4 327-346. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2010). Agency without Autonomy: Valuational Agency. Journal of Global Ethics, (6) 3 239–254. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2010). Confucian Democracy and Equality. Asian Philosophy, (20) 3 261–282. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2009). Democracy in Decent Nonliberal Nations: A Defense. Philosophical Forum, (40) 3 309-337. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2008). Cultural Claims and the Limits of Liberal Democracy. Social Theory and Practice, (34) 1 25-48. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2008). Philosopher's Contribution to the Empowerment of Local Practitioners:A Response to Christine Koggel. The Southern Journal of Philosophy, (46) 131-37. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2008). Politics of Difference and Nationalism: On Iris Young's Global Vision. Hypatia, (23) 3 39-59. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2007). Liberal Multiculturalism: An Oxymoron?. Philosophical Forum, (38) 1 23-41. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2007). Liberal Presumptions: A Response to Curtis. Political Theory, (35) 3 pp. 341-47. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2006). In Defense of Non-liberal Nationalism. Political Theory: An International Journal of Political Philosophy, (34) 3 304-327. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2004). A Third World Feminist Defense of Multiculturalism. Social Theory and Practice: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal of Social Philosophy, (30) 1 73-103. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2003). Is Confucianism Compatible with Care Ethics?: A Critique. Philosophy East & West: A Quarterly of Comparative Philosophy, (53) 4 471-489. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2003). The Possibility of Nationalist Feminism. Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy, (18) 3 135-160. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S., Kim, H. (1999). Confucianism and Contemporary Perspectives in Western Ethics. Philosophy (Korean publication), (61) Winter 319-350.
  • Herr, R. S. (1999). Rawlsian Liberalism and Challenges from Contemporary Ethical theories. Journal of Philosophical Studies (Korean publication), (46) Fall pp. 217-244.
  • Herr, R. S. (1995). Is Cultural Diversity Compatible with Feminism: Confucianism and the Women's Cause. Journal of American Studies (Korean publication), (27) December 153-170.
  • Herr, R. S. (1994). Should We Treat Animals Morally? (in Korean). Philosophy and Reality 249-275.
  • Herr, R. S. (1994). Why Procedural Principles are Preferable to Substantive Principles. Philosophy (Korean publication), (42) Autumn 355-384.
  • Herr, R. S. (1993). Feminism and Autonomy (in Korean). Philosophy and Reality 227-242.
  • Herr, R. S. (1993). Procedural Autonomy. Philosophy (Korean publication), (40) Autumn 92-114.

    • Books

  • Herr, R. S., Park, S. (2017). Contested Terrains: Women of Color, Third World Women, Feminisms, and Geopolitics, (32) , 3 Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy
  • Gilligan, C., Herr, R. S. (1997). Darun Moksoriro (Korean translation of In a Different Voice) Seoul, South Korea: Dong-Nyuk Pubishing Company

    • Book Chapters

  • Herr, R. (2026). Why Confucian Ethics is not Care Ethics Feminist Ethics: Fundamental Concepts and Current Issues. Routledge Forthcoming
  • Herr, R. S. (2024). Global Justice and Western Colonialism Bloomsbury Companion to Global Justice East and West.
  • Herr, R. S. (2018). Indigenous Peoples' Right to Self-Determination in the Age of Legal Globalization Taming Power in Times of Globalisation. Brill
  • Herr, R. S. (2018). Feminism, Nationalism, and Transnationalism Bloomsbury Companion to Analytic Feminism. Bloomsbury
  • Herr, R. S. (2016). Confucian Mothering: The Origin of Tiger Mothering? FEMINIST ENCOUNTERS WITH CONFUCIUS. Brill
  • Herr, R. S. (2014). Confucian Family-State and Women: A Proposal for Confucian Feminism Liberating Traditions: Essays in Feminist Comparative Philosophy.. N.Y., N.Y.: Columbia UP
  • Herr, R. S. (2013). Third World, Transnational, and Global Feminisms Encyclopedia of Race and Racism Vol.4. Routledge
  • Herr, R. S. (2013). "Comfort Women" and Japan's National Responsibility Historical Reconciliation and Inherited Responsibility. Routledge
  • Herr, R. S. (2010). Confucianism's Political Implications for the Modern World Crediting God: The Fate of Religion and Politics in the Age of Global Capitalism.. Bronx, N.Y.: Fordham University Press (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2006). A Third World Feminist Defense of Multiculturalism (trans. into Chinese) Collected Works in Sino-Western Political Culture, Vol. 5.. Tianjin, China: Tianjin People's Press (Link)

    • Presentations

  • Herr, R. S. (2025). “Learning from Decolonial Feminism” Presented at the Arcus Center, Kalamazoo College Resisting Harm, Building the Future Kalamazoo, MI
  • Herr, R. (2025). “Meridians Author Panel on Transnationalism” Presented at the Smith College 25th Anniversary Symposium of the journal Meridians: feminism, race, transnationalism Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts (Link)
  • Herr, R. (2025). “Confucian Gender Equality” Presented at the East China Normal University, Shanghai, China East China Normal University, Shanghai, China Online (Link)
  • Herr, R. (2025). “Why Confucian Ethics is not Care Ethics.” Presented at the The Sungkyunkwan University Public lecture, Confucianism and Culture Institute Seoul, Korea.
  • Herr, R. S. (2024). “Keynote: Third World Feminism and Decolonial Feminism” Presented at the University of Calgary Graduate Conference on Global Feminism Calgary, Canada
  • Herr, R. S. (2024). “American National Identity and Contested Memories” Presented at the University of Edinburgh ASEN (Association for the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism) conference Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Herr, R. S. (2021). “Inaugural Zoom Talk: Global Philosophies of Mothering: Confucian and Western Perspectives” Presented at the Central Connecticut State University CCSU Philosophy Club New Britain, CT
  • Herr, R. S. (2018). “Does a Feminist Future in East Asia Require Western Feminism?” Presented at the Peking University 24th World Congress of Philosophy Beijing, China
  • Herr, R. S. (2017). “Confucian Democracy as Nonliberal Democracy” Presented at the Center for Political Thought, RCHSS, Academia Sinica International Conference on "The Voices of Democracy in Confucianism" Taipei City, Taiwan
  • Herr, R. S. (2017). “Islamist Women's Agency and Relational Autonomy” Presented at the California State University, LA Ann Garry and Sharon Bishop Feminist Endowed Lecture Cal State, Los Angeles, CA
  • Herr, R. S. (2017). “Confucian Mothering: The Origin of Tiger Mothering?” Presented at the Nanyang Technological University International Conference of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy Singapore
  • Herr, R. S. (2016). “Feminism, Nationalism and Transnationalism” Presented at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell Society for Analytic Feminism Conference Lowell, MA
  • Herr, R. S. (2015). “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Regime: Too Liberal for Global Governance?” Presented at the The Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland The Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland
  • Herr, R. S. (2012). “Can Liberalism Justify Indigenous People's Moral Right to Self-Determination?” Presented at the Global Justice Program Meeting Yale University, New Haven, CT.
  • Herr, R. S. (2011). “Confucian Democracy and Equality” Presented at the City University of Hong Kong Public Lecture Hong Kong
  • Herr, R. S. (2011). “Reclaiming Third World Feminism” Presented at the Feminist Ethics and Social Theory (FEAST) Conference Zion, Illinois
  • Herr, R. S. (2010). “Confucian Family for a Feminist Future” Presented at the City University of Hong Kong International Conference on ‚ÄúConfucian and Liberal Perspectives on Family, State, and Civil Society" Hong Kong, China
  • Herr, R. S. (2010). “Political Liberalism and Equal Respect for Persons” Presented at the Reed College The Association for Political Theory (APT) Conference Portland, Oregon

    • Reviews

  • Herr, R. S. (2020). Review of Serene Khader's Decolonizing Universalism. (Link)
  • Herr, R. S. (2018). “From Liberal Feminist to Buddhist Nun: Book Review of Jin Y. Park’s Women and Buddhist Philosophy. , (3) 2 114-116.

    • Service

    Service: Department

  • for Curricular revision 1/1/24 - 12/31/24
  • Committee Member for Search Committee 12/1/17 - 2/28/18
  • Course Coordinator for LSM 9/1/16 - 12/31/16
  • Committee Member for Search Committee 9/1/15 - 2/28/16
  • Mentor (Faculty) for LSM 1/1/10 - Present

    • Service: Public

  • for International Women’s Day "Women's Rights are Human Rights" Webinar 3/8/16 - 3/8/16

    • Service: Professional

  • for Invited Author Presentation 9/24/24 - 9/24/24
  • Committee Chair for Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Philosophy, International Committee 9/1/17 - Present
  • Editor, Journal for Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy special issue, Contested Terrains: Women of Color, Third World Women, Feminisms, and Geopolitics 1/1/15 - 12/31/17
  • Committee Chair for Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Theory (FEAST), Program Committee co-Chair (with Shelley Park) 1/1/13 - 12/31/15
  • Committee Member for Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Theory (FEAST), Program Committee 1/1/12 - 12/31/13
  • Committee Member for Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Theory (FEAST), Program Committee 1/1/10 - 12/31/11

    • Service: University

  • for Senate Planning Committee 8/20/22 - 6/30/24
  • Senator for Faculty Senate 1/1/18 - Present
  • Committee Member for Research Council 9/1/16 - 5/31/18
  • faculty host for Valente Center Visiting Scholar Alison Jaggar 1/1/15 - 12/31/15
  • Committee Member for Valente Center Advisory Board 1/1/13 - Present
  • Committee Member for Research Committee 1/1/10 - 12/31/11
  • Committee Member for Academic Standards Committee 1/1/08 - 12/31/11
  • Committee Member for Bentley International Film Series Organization Committee 1/1/06 - 12/31/11
  • Committee Member for Faculty Nominations Committee 1/1/06 - 12/31/11