Joshua Earle
Updated March 2020
EDUCATION
PhD Expected Spring 2020, Science and Technology Studies, Virginia Tech
Working Dissertation Title: The Myth of Multiplicity: Morphological Freedom and the
Construction of Bodymind Malleability from Eugenics to Transhumanism
Graduate Certificate, 2019, Women and Gender Studies, Virginia Tech
MS, 2017, Science and Technology Studies, Virginia Tech
BA, 2010, Music, College of Literature Science & the Arts, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Areas of Specialty: Science and Technology Studies, Philosophy of Technology, Bioethics,
Feminist Philosophy
Areas of Competence: Disability Studies, History of Medicine, Medical Humanities
PUBLICATIONS
Peer Reviewed Journal Publications
Earle, J. (2019) “Imagining Otherwise: The Importance of Speculative Fiction to New Social Justice Imaginaries.” Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience . Vol 5 No 1.
Book Chapters
Earle, J. 2020. “Morphological Freedom and the Myth of Multiplicity.” Philosophy and
Engineering: Reimagining Technology and Social Progress. Springer. Forthcoming.
Conference Proceedings
Earle, J. 2019. “Cyborg Maintenance: Design, Breakdown, and Inclusion.” HCI International 2019 . Springer. Forthcoming.
Book Reviews
Earle, Joshua. 2018. “Deleting the Instrument Clause: Technology as Praxis.” Social
Epistemology Review and Reply Collective 7(10): 59-62. URL:
https://social-epistemology.com/2018/10/30/deleting-the-instrument-clause-technology-as-praxis-joshua-earle/
Earle, J. 2016. “An Excellent Start, but Ironically Lacks Diversity,” Techné: Research in
Philosophy and Technology , 20(1) 2016: 73–75. URL:
https://www.pdcnet.org/techne/content/techne_2016_0020_0001_0073_0075
Earle, J. 2014. “Visioneering a Better Future: The Hieroglyph Project, STS, and the Future of Science and Technology.” Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective 3 (12) 2014: 67-83. URL:
https://social-epistemology.com/2014/11/10/visioneering-a-better-future-the-hieroglyph-project-sts-and-the-future-of-science-and-technology-joshua-earle/
Scholarly Commentaries and Essays
Earle, J. 2018. “Land Grant Eugenics: Spreading an Idea in Rural America.” Nursing Clio
(Aug. 02, 2018). URL:
https://nursingclio.org/2018/08/02/land-grant-eugenics-spreading-an-idea-in-rural-america/
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Under Consideration
Earle, J. Cyborg Maintenance: The Invisible Work of the Technological Bodymind. Under
consideration at Disability Studies Quarterly.
In Progress
Land Grant Eugenics: Education and Scientific Knowledge in Rural Land Grant Universities.
But Where are the Ethics? Re-Framing Barad’s Ethico-Onto-Epistemology. Target: Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience. Expected Submission: Mid 2020.
The Problem of the Sexy Cyborg: Race, Gender, Disability, and Transhumanist Imaginaries.
EDITING, PEER REVIEW, AND PUBLISHING
Copyeditor, Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology. 2018-2020
Conference Program Committee: Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology Conference, 2019
Conference Program Committee: Comics and Popular Arts Conference, 2020
AWARDS AND HONORS
Inducted into Iota Delta Rho, the Interdisciplinary Research Honors Society, May 2, 2018
Best Panel Presentation. Disappearing Bodies: Shared goals and shifting speech between
Eugenics and Transhumanism, STGlobal, April 8-9 2016.
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
NSF Career Grant #1750260: Disability, Experience, and Technological Imagination.
Graduate Associate. 2019.
Regenerative Medicine Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program (IGEP), Virginia Tech 2017-2018
Regenerative Medicine Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program (IGEP), Virginia Tech 2015-2016
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
“Cyborg Maintenance: The Invisible Work of the Technological Bodymind.” Society for the Social Studies of Science (4S) Conference. Sept 5, 2019.
“Cyborg Maintenance: Design, Breakdown, and Inclusion.” Human-Computer Interaction
International Conference. July 31, 2019.
“Cyborg Maintenance: Bio Bugs, Computer Bugs, and Breakdown.” Computer Ethics and
Philosophical Enquiry Conference. May 30, 2019.
“Cyborg Maintenance: The Invisible Work of the Technological Bodymind.” Values in
Medicine, Science, and Technology Conference. May 24, 2019.
“Cyborg Maintenance: A Phenomenology of Upkeep.” Society for Philosophy and Technology Conference. May 21, 2019.
“The Problem of the Sexy Cyborg: Transhumanism, Gender, and Morphological Freedom.” Gender, Bodies, and Technology Conference. April 26, 2019.
“Disability and Morphological Freedom: The Myth of Multiplicity” Society for Disability Studies Strand at the OSU Multiple Perspective on Access, Inclusion, and Disability Conference. April 7, 2019.
“The Problem of the Sexy Cyborg: Race, Gender, and Otherness in Transhumanism.”
ASPECT Conference. March 22, 2019.
“Agential Realism: Toward a Diffractive Ethic.” Southeastern Ethics and Philosophy of
Technology Workshop. September 29, 2018.
“Disability Rights and Morphological Freedom: Toward a Diffractive Ethic of Inclusion.”
Association for Feminist Epistemologies, Methodologies, Metaphysics, and Science Studies Meeting. August 1-5, 2018.
“Morphological Freedom: Potential and Normativity in Transhumanism.” Forum on
Philosophy, Engineering, and Technology. May 30- June 1, 2018.
“Morphological Freedom: Identity, Individuation, and the Genre Solution,” Southeastern Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Workshop, September 23, 2017.
“Identity and Normative Danger in Transhumanist Rhetoric,” Society for the Philosophy of Technology Biennial Conference, June 14-17 2017.
“Rhetorical Purification: Eugenics, Transhumanism, and the disappearance of the
marginalized,” Gender, Bodies and Technology, April 21-23 2016
“Disappearing Bodies: Shared goals and shifting speech between Eugenics and
Transhumanism,” STGlobal, April 8-9 2016.
ADDITIONAL CONFERENCE ROLES
Chair, “ Pedagogical Pragmatics: Teaching Ethics and Philosophy of Technology (2),” Society for the Philosophy of Technology, June 14-17 2017.
Moderator, ” Gendered Technologies of the Self: Making the Therapeutic Visible,” Gender, Bodies, and Technology, April 21-23, 2016
Participant, Southeastern Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Workshop, Sept 19, 2015
Participant, Knowledge from the Margins Conference, Aug 18-19, 2015
Participant, Second Annual Regenerative Medicine IGEP Retreat, May 18, 2015
CAMPUS AND DEPARTMENTAL TALKS
“Eugenics.” STS 5444: Bioethics. Virginia Tech, Nov 01, 2018.
“Transhumanism!” STS 4304: Monsters, Zombies, & Cyborgs. Virginia Tech, Oct 30, 2018.
“Eugenics.” STS 5424/3284: Technology and Disability. Virginia Tech, Feb 20, 2018.
“Sheep, Trust, and Expertise.” STS 1504: Introduction to STS, Virginia Tech, April 17, 2017
“Eugenics.” STS 1504: Introduction to STS, Virginia Tech, April 19, 2017.
“Transhumanism!” STS 1504: Introduction to STS, Virginia Tech, April 21, 2017.
“Eugenics.” STS 2984: Humanities, Science and the Environment, Oct 11, 2016.
“Eugenics.” STS 1504: Introduction to STS, Virginia Tech, November 28, 2016.
“Transhumanism!” Monsters, Zombies, and Cyborgs undergraduate seminar, Virginia Tech, April 20, 2016
“Disappearing Bodies: Shared goals and shifting speech between Eugenics and
Transhumanism,” STS Seminar Series, April 1 2016.
“The Deficit Model of Education or: why science communication is trickier than it looks,”
Regenerative Medicine IGEP Journal Club, Virginia Tech, April 13, 2015
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
STS 2054, Engineering Cultures, Spring Semester 2020, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Undergraduate Level
STS 3105, Science, Technology, and Modern Society: Pop Culture, Fall Semester 2019,
Instructor of Record, Undergraduate Level
STS 1504, Introduction to STS, Spring Semester 2019, Instructor of Record,
Undergraduate-Level
STS 1504, Introduction to STS, Winter Term 2018-19, Instructor of Record, Online,
Undergraduate-Level
STS 1504, Introduction to STS, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Fall Semester 2018,
Undergraduate-Level
STS 5947: Technology and Disability: Unit on the History of Eugenics, Graduate-Level, 2015
WGS 4704: Gender & Science, TA/class participant, final project director,
Undergraduate-Level, 2015
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2017-2018 Research Assistantship, Regenerative Medicine Interdisciplinary Graduate
Education Program (IGEP), Virginia Tech.
2015-2016 Research Assistantship, Regenerative Medicine IGEP, Virginia Tech
2015 Research Assistantship, Department of English, Virginia Tech
SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP
STS Department Seminar Series, Video Recording and remote access, archiving, and
refreshments. 2017-2019.
President, Interdisciplinary Research Honors Society, 2019-2020.
Vice President of Membership, Interdisciplinary Research Honors Society, 2018-2019.
STS Department Graduate Student Organization (GSO) Secretary, 2018-2019.
STS Department Graduate Student Organization (GSO) President, 2017-2018.
STS Department Policy Committee, Graduate Student Representative, Voting, 2017-2018.
STS Department Policy Committee, Graduate Student representative, Non-Voting,
2016-2017.
TEACHING AREAS/COURSES PREPARED TO TEACH
History of Technology
History of Technology & Disability
History of Medicine
History of Science
Bioethics
Cyborgs in Society
Disability Studies
Introduction to STS
Gender and Science/Technology
Philosophy of Technology
Philosophy/STS and Popular Culture
LANGUAGES
English: Fluent
German: Can Read with Dictionary
