Season 4, Episode 7: Hedwig Dohm’s feminist philosophy: Interview with Katie Brennan

In this episode, Jacinta speaks with Dr Katie Brennan, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Salve Regina University, about the 19th-century German feminist philosopher Hedwig Dohm. Brennan speaks about Dohm’s diverse philosophical modes, from salon-hosting to political essays to novellas, and how her participation in the urgent and burgeoning feminist discourse of her time shaped her philosophical approach. Dohm draws on distinct areas of philosophy, such as rights and existentialism, leading to a unique conception of human nature that Brennan is currently in the process of reconstructing. We speak about several of Dohm’s texts, with ongoing reference to her novella Become Who You Are, which still resonates today. Finally, Brennan wraps up the episode with some research advice, and reflections on the methodological challenges she’s faced while researching the under-served Dohm.