Joshua Schuster remembers being a nervous student in a philosophy class taught by the great modern-day philosopher Jacques Derrida.
“It was fun to watch him thinking as he is speaking,” says Schuster, who studied under Derrida at the University of Paris. “He would talk about current affairs and then regurgitate them into serious philosophy. I really liked the concept of thinking in real time and I wanted to do that.”
That was in 2000.
Now, Schuster is a professor in the Department of English at The University of Western Ontario. He began his teaching career at the University of Pennsylvania in 2007- 2008 after obtaining his PhD there. He said he was excited to teach here this year.
The professor is combining his academic interest with environmentalism. He is teaching a course in “green” literature.
Schuster is working on a book called “Organic Radicals”. The book offers alternatives to organicism— a theory that suggests one should view the world as a whole to understand reality. He believes phenomena such as mass migration and globalization are forcing a shift from this holistic world view.
“I am making these arguments that because the organic world view is failing, you get psychoanalysis; you get sociology; modern experimental form; and the earliest ideas of ecology,” he says.
Because of his globe-trotting experiences, Schuster sees himself as a part of his research, too.
Schuster was born in Toronto. His father taught computer science at the University of Toronto. But the family moved to Walnut Creek, near Berkeley, California when Schuster was only six-years-old.
“Growing up, I was always surrounded by intellectuals and activists. I think it was the combination of education and activism that influenced me the most,” he says.
A keen reader, he did his bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, Schuster decided to serve his community by working as a journalist at the Jewish Bulletin, a San Francisco Bay-area newspaper.
But, Schuster realized journalism wasn’t his calling. In 1999, he went to Paris to study philosophy. It was there that he fell in love— with teaching and a law student, Marina, who is now his wife.
Marina attests to Schuster’s dedication to his work.
“He is mostly working and enjoys it. We share it in common, actually. We talk about philosophy all the time,” says Marina, who also shares Schuster’s passion for the environment.
Working on the book and teaching take up most of his time and Schuster says he yearns for occasional free time. He says he played a lot of soccer while studying for his master’s degree, but he no longer has time for the sport he still loves.
“And now, I mostly have to cycle on a stationary bike indoors because of the snow (in the winter). I am getting used to that,” he says.
Besides enjoying sports, Schuster is also a poet. In fact, he has been writing poetry for the past 10 years. “It helps me think and write better,” he says.
Apart from being a new professor, Schuster is taking on another new role—being a parent.
“When I get the time, I love playing with my baby boy, Reuven,” he says as he picks up his son’s photograph mounted in a wooden frame that sat on his office desk in University College.
While Schuster likes spending time with his family, he also enjoys his new job at Western. “I am excited to teach American studies in Canada. I am curious to know what Canadians think about American life.”
He encourages his students to follow his lead, and play an active part in society. “My students are very kind, but I urge them to translate kindness into action. Not only intellectual action, but also social action,” he says.
Factbox:
Favourite film: Bladerunner
Favourite song: “Ring of fire” by Johnny Cash
Traded playing the guitar for more time to read English literature
Favourite T.V. series: Six Feet Under
The writer is a graduate student studying Journalism.