Emily Austin

I am happy to join the Bowdoin Philosophy Department in 2025-2026 while on leave from Wake Forest University, where I am a Professor of Philosophy. My scholarly work focuses on Ancient Greek theories of complex emotions, including the fear of death, grief, patriotism, and comedic malice. I am also the author of Living for Pleasure: an Epicurean Guide to Life (Oxford University Press), which has been reviewed in The Guardian and the Times Literary Supplement. It was awarded the inaugural Journal of the History of Philosophy Book Prize for public philosophy.

In my free time, I enjoy reading novels, trying to draw birds at least well as your average 7-year-old, and listening to old, weird records. Having grown up in Arkansas, I look forward to buying my first snowshoes in Maine.