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I work at the intersection of the philosophy of mind (particularly emotion), epistemology, and the philosophy of psychiatry. In 2022-2024 I am a SNSF Postdoctoral Fellow at City University of New York, Graduate Center, and at the University of Toronto.
My research focuses on ways in which emotion guides cognition in valuable ways. In particular, my postdoctoral research explores the role of anticipatory emotions in prospective cognition, or our ability to imagine specific futures. My work is informed by empirical research on mental disorders, and seeks to further enlighten the emotion-cognition dynamics at play in these pathologies.
I have undergraduate degrees both in Philosophy (Paris IV Sorbonne) and in Clinical Psychology (Paris VIII Sorbonne). I wrote my PhD thesis jointly at the Institut Jean Nicod and at the Interdisciplinary Center For Affective Science in Geneva. In 2019-2020 I was a Visiting Fellow at the New York University Philosophy department.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., PHILOSOPHY (July 2021)
Institut Jean Nicod (École Normale Supérieure), Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (University of Geneva). Dissertation awarded with highest honors.
Thesis Supervisors: Fabrice Teroni, Jérôme Dokic
Members of Defense Jury: Jennifer Nagel, Michael Brady, Anne Meylan, Elisabeth Pacherie
MASTER OF SCIENCE (2013)
Philosophy of Mental Disorder, King’s College London, UK. Awarded with Distinction
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY (2022)
Paris-Sorbonne VIII, Paris, FR
BACHELOR OF ARTS, PHILOSOPHY (2011)
Paris-Sorbonne IV, Paris, FR
PUBLICATIONS
Forthcoming. Imagining out of Hope. The Philosophical Quarterly (with Steve Humbert-Droz)
Forthcoming. The Epistemic Virtue of Anxiety, In The Moral Psychology of Anxiety, eds. Rondel, D. & Chopra, S. Rowman and Littlefield.
2019. Passions et Psychopathologie, In Origgi, G. (ed.), Dictionnaire des Passions Sociales. Presses Universitaires de France.
2019. Darker Sides of Guilt, In Cokelet, B. & Maley, C. (eds.), Moral Psychology of Guilt. Rowman and Littlefield. (with Julien Deonna)
2018. Epistemic Anxiety, Adaptive Cognition, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Discipline Filosofiche: Philosophical Perspectives on Affective Experience and Psychopathology, 137.
2018. « Anxiété », version académique, In Kristanek, M. (ed.), l’Encyclopédie philosophique. URL: http://encyclo-philo.fr/anxiete-a/
EDITED VOLUMES
WORRY AND WELL-BEING
Synthese Topical Collection on "Anxiety: its Nature, Value, and Challenges", co-edited with Charlie Kurth.
TEACHING
Philosophy:
"It is obvious that Ms. Vazard loves to teach! Her enthusiasm and liveliness are very pleasant in class, she also knows the subject very well and explains the important concepts in a clear manner. I also sincerely appreciate (finally) having female teachers in the field of philosophy, which allows me to project myself into the future in philosophy"
"Thank you for your work! Your attitude, always kind and caring, is admirable and inspiring!"
French:
"By far the best French prof I've ever had. She's hilarious!!! Her class is a comfortable environment where it's okay to make a mistake. She helps you learn but allows you to work on your own. Not too much homework, but it really does help for class discussions. My favorite teacher freshman year!"
Spring 2024
PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR, "PHILOSOPHY OF PSYCHOLOGY"
Intermediate Undergraduate Course directed at both Philosophy and Psychology students, Baruch College, City University of New York
Spring 2023
PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR, "INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY"
Undergraduate Introductory level course: “Major Issues in Philosophy”, Baruch College, City University of New York
Fall 2021
PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR, "ART AND EMOTION"
Graduate Philosophy course (Master and Advanced Bachelor students) on the topic of "Art and Emotions" (Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Psychology, Aesthetics). University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Spring 2019
TEACHING ASSISTANT, "META-ETHICS"
Advanced Undergraduate course in Meta-ethics (Value theory, Ethics, Moral Philosophy). University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Fall 2022
GUEST LECTURER
“Emotions and Activism”, University of Groningen (as part of a Global Health course), Spring 2023
“Emotions and Leadership”, University of Groningen (as part of a Business Ethics course), Fall 2022
Fall 2015 to Spring 2016
LECTURER IN FRENCH
Taught four undergraduate courses in French Language and Culture at Boston University and Simmons College, Boston, USA.
Fall 2015 to Summer 2016
WORKSHOP LEADER
Designed and led ten workshop sessions of ethics and moral psychology in French for a large audience of advanced students of French of all ages and backgrounds. Hosted by the French Cultural Center in Boston, USA.
PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY
ESSAY
BLOG POST
PODCAST
BLOG POST
The Nature of Confusion
An essay on confusion, its metacognitive nature and its value in guiding us through obstacles in the process of learning. Published in the online magazine Aeon/Psyche
Imagining with Hope
A post on hopeful imaginings, their characteristics, and epistemic value, written together with Steve Humbert-Droz, and published in "The Junkyard", a scholarly blog devoted to the study of imagination.
From Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Hope
In this podcast series in french, several researchers discuss the role of emotions in our management of the climate crisis. In the episode "From Eco-anxiety to Eco-hope", I share some thoughts on the nature of anxiety, and its positive counterpart: hope.
OCD and Anxiety
A post on Epistemic Anxiety and Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, published in “Imperfect Cognitions”, a blog dedicated to irrational beliefs, cognitive distortions, delusions, etc.
WORK IN PROGRESS
Vazard, J. & Humbert-Droz, S. “What Role for Imagination in Hope?” (under review)
Vazard, J. "Inquiring about The Future: The Epistemic Motivation in Hope" (under review)
Vazard, J. “Is Hope More Like faith or More Like Worry?” (under review)
Vazard, J. "Anticipatory emotions and Risk Sensitivity in Decision-Making" (in progress)
Vazard, J. & Logins, A. Beyond Doxastic States: Getting Emotional about Epistemic Rationality (in progress)
CONTACT
