The general theme of my research is to interrogate existing legal, moral, and sociopolitical paradigms (laws, policies, theories of knowledge, theories of reality, moral and sociopolitical theories) to determine the extent to which these paradigms facilitate positive outcomes for the marginalized, oppressed, and subjugated (particularly persons of color and women). As regards legal paradigms (laws), my method of analysis is legal hermeneutics. For example, in my dissertation, The Hermeneutics of Equal Protection Analysis, I used the tools of legal hermeneutics (e.g., a focus on sociohistorical context, an examination of legislative history, a…
The general theme of my research is to interrogate existing legal, moral, and sociopolitical paradigms (laws, policies, theories of knowledge, theories of reality, moral and sociopolitical theories) to determine the extent to which these paradigms facilitate positive outcomes for the marginalized, oppressed, and subjugated (particularly persons of color and women). As regards legal paradigms (laws), my method of analysis is legal hermeneutics. For example, in my dissertation, The Hermeneutics of Equal Protection Analysis, I used the tools of legal hermeneutics (e.g., a focus on sociohistorical context, an examination of legislative history, an acknowledgment that all legal interpretation is time- and space-specific, and a search for the “spirit” or general purpose of the law in question) to examine the relationship between the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution and laws or policies that discriminate on the basis of race, gender, and sexual orientation (and any other marginalized status). As regards moral and sociopolitical paradigms, my method of analysis includes insights from philosophy of race, feminist philosophy, ethical theory, and communitarian themes in political philosophy (particularly the concept of the socialized self). Where a given paradigm is found lacking, I advocate alternative approaches or paradigm shifts designed to more fully protect members of marginalized populations. In the process, I hope to derive legal interpretations that enhance the overall well-being of the larger social systems of which a given marginalized population is a part. Through pursuing particularized lines of inquiry (e.g., the way in which a particular law affects persons of color or women), the hope is that important lessons are derived regarding metaphilosophical topics such as methodology that will prove useful to the solution of more universal social problems (e.g., poverty, world hunger, human rights, global warming, health care, animal rights).
