I Am An American Philosopher: Kim Diaz

-An Interview Series with John Capps-

What distinguishes American philosophy for me is its refusal to remain purely theoretical; it is driven by a persistent effort to engage with the lived human experience. American philosophy, in my view, embraces plurality, learns from nature, and insists on remaining open to new possibilities.

Kim Díaz is a Assistant Professor of Philosophy at El Paso Community College and Instructor in Chicano Studies at The University of Texas at El Paso. She is co-editor of The Philosophies of America Reader (Bloomsbury), a founding member of the Society for Mexican-American Philosophy, a member of SAAP’s board of directors, and author of the entry on Paulo Freire in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. She is also the managing editor of the Inter-American Journal of Philosophy.

What does American philosophy mean to you?

I think of American philosophy in a few different ways. First, geographically as philosophy from the  American continent, as well as the tradition from the United States. What distinguishes American philosophy for me is its refusal to remain purely theoretical; it is driven by a persistent effort to engage with the lived human experience. American philosophy, in my view, embraces plurality, learns from nature, and insists on remaining open to new possibilities.

How did you become an American philosopher?

This depends on what we mean by “American.” I took my first American philosophy class at UTEP from Robert Ferrell. Bob was my first philosophy teacher, and he also turned me on to Asian philosophy. Then I wrote an undergraduate honors thesis with David Hall, with whom I studied Dewey, James, and Whitehead.

As an undergraduate, I also studied with Jules Simon, who introduced me to Octavio Paz. This was very significant to me because I came to live in the US when I was twelve. So, from twelve to the time I was an undergraduate in college, a fair amount of assimilation had already taken place, enough that it was an eye-opening experience for me to realize/remember that Mexicans/brown people wrote philosophy too.

While I was an undergraduate, I met my Chilean friend Luisa Elberg Urbina. More than anyone, she helped me appreciate the Latin American experience beyond Mexico. She introduced me to the work of Paulo Freire. Then I wrote an MA thesis on Dewey and Samuel Ramos under the guidance of Ted Sturm at UNM. During my time at Texas A&M, I had the opportunity to study with Gregory Pappas, John McDermott, and Bob Burch. There, I solidified my interest in studying American and Latin American philosophy. While at Texas A&M, I also worked with Ed Murguía who helped me better understand, appreciate and embrace being a Chicana. That I have been lucky in finding amazing mentors is an understatement. I have had a deep connection with each of the people I mentioned, and I have become the person I am in large part due to the time we spent together.

How would you describe your current research?

I’m wrapping up a co-edited book with Jules Simon and Ajay Verma titled Building Bridges between Indian Philosophy and Latin American Philosophy (Routledge, forthcoming) that connects Indian philosophy with Latin American philosophy. There are many parallels between the two, beginning with their ancient civilizations, then colonization, and how both have dealt with their Indigenous/Tribal traditions, as well as the role of Western liberalism and democracies in the politics that emerged in the aftermath of colonialism. There’s also the role of patriarchy in both cultures, coupled with the caste system on the Indian side. More recently, Greg Moses and I have been reading the Popol Wuj very slowly. There is so much to learn from this classic text.

What do you do when you’re not doing American philosophy?

Outside of my work in American philosophy, I cherish the time I spend with my husband and our dog, as well as with my sister and nephews whenever possible. Since 2006, I have been dedicated to practicing and teaching martial arts (kung fu and tai chi) and yoga, maintaining a daily practice. I am passionate about sharing mindfulness, yoga, and martial arts with underserved communities. Since 2015, I have collaborated with Juan Ferret and the Philosophic Systems Institute to share philosophy and mindfulness with returning citizens. Whether I teach at women’s shelters or our local halfway house, I enjoy sharing my martial arts and yoga practice with my students. I also enjoy gardening, knitting, baking and watching basketball. Go Spurs!!!

What’s your favorite work in American philosophy? What should we all be reading?

My favorite work in American philosophy is Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. Freire’s work is very inspiring to me. Besides Freire, the Popol Wuj is a masterpiece worth studying. Art As Experience is another one of my favorites.