Introduction
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Educational Background

Joseph prabhu
Professor

Office: E&T 421
Phone: 323-343-4177
Email: jprabhu@calstatela.edu

INTRODUCTION

I have been teaching at CSLA since 1978, although I have also in that time been a visiting professor at UCBerkeley, UC Santa Barbara, Harvard, Occidental College, Boston University and universities in India and Germany. My interests are quite broad, spanning metaphysics and ethics to comparative religion and social and political theory. At the moment (2008) I am working on three books, in various stages of completion: "Liberating Gandhi: Community, Empire and a Culture of Peace", "Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspective" and "Hegel, India and the Dark Face of Modernity." Broadly speaking, my interests are in bringing philosophical and spiritual perspectives to bear on ethical and political issues. My approach is both interdisciplinary and cross-cultural. I used to co-edit the journal "ReVision," a quarterly dealing with issues of philosophy, spirituality and psychology, and am active in peace, human rights and inter-religious movements, local, national and international. I have been a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University and at the Martin Marty Center of the University of Chicago

In terms of professional responsibilities, I am the President of the Society of Asian and Comparative Philosophy (2008-2010)Member, Board of Trustees, Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, and the Program Chair for the Melbourne Parliament, 2009, the Program Chair of the Philosophy of Religion section of the American Academy of Religion, and the local (Los Angeles) Chair of the Southern California Committee for a Parliament of the World's Religions (SSCPWR). I am also active in the Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP)

TEACHING INTERESTS

My teaching reflects my broader interests. Here at CSLA, I have for twenty years taught an introduction to philosophy course concentrating on human values and views about reality and knowledge. At a more advanced level, I teach courses on Indian/Asian philosophy, 19 and 20C European philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and social and political theory. My goals in teaching are threefold:1.to actually do philosophy in the classroom, so that students learn how to think for themselves, 2.to provide students with both worldviews and detailed arguments, so that they are exposed to the excitement and rigor of the subject, and 3. to show the practical relevance of such thinking to their personal lives and the world at large. As a philosopher I try to get myself and my students to believe what is true, to do what is right, and to love what is beautiful.

I was for my efforts awarded the Outstanding Professor Award of CSLA, 2004-2005 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My research interests are closely tied up with my teaching and publications. In addition to the three projects mentioned above, I also have been asked to do a book, based on my lectures, tentatively called "Globalization and the Encounter of Religions," dealing with religions in their socio-cultural contexts, and the conflicts and possibilities for cooperation within and between them in areas of civil society, cosmopolitanism, human rights, economic organization, and peace and justice. Having been trained in three disciplines (philosophy, religion and economics) and three cultures (Indian, German and North American), I hope to provide a broad perspective on these topics.

Representative Professional Activities

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.d Philosophy 1982
Boston University