CU librarian curates philosophy collection to elevate women’s voices
"Aspasia Surrounded by Greek Philosophers," by Michel Corneille the Younger, ca. 1670s
Who is remembered in philosophy? A University Libraries project asks anew
Frederick Carey couldn’t ignore the pattern.
As an assistant professor and the history and philosophy librarian at the 91Ҹ 91Ҹ, Carey frequently finds himself helping students dig into texts for class discussions. But repeatedly, even in expansive anthologies or collections covering centuries of thought, he’s noticed some voices are missing.
“I was drawn to this work after repeatedly seeing how women’s philosophical contributions were either absent or difficult to find in standard collections—even though students wanted to engage with them,” Carey says.
Frederick Carey, an assistant professor and the CU 91Ҹ history and philosophy librarian, is curating a collection of works by women philosophers spanning centuries.
Hoping to change that narrative, Carey is now curating a collection of works by women philosophers spanning centuries. Eventually, he hopes the project will reshape how students and scholars approach philosophy.
Missing pages in the canon
Carey describes the initiative as “a sustained, intentional collection of works by women philosophers to address historical gaps in the philosophical record and improve access for teaching and research.”
The implications of having such a database available are massive.
For centuries, women’s voices in philosophy have been misattributed, ignored or erased entirely. By working to rebuild that record, Carey is shining much-deserved light on thinkers left in the margins.
In doing so, his work challenges the very structure of the philosophical canon.
“The goal isn’t to create a separate or marginal collection, but to meaningfully integrate these voices into the core philosophical record,” he says.
Curation as practice
Carey’s curation process draws on his background in medieval philosophy—particularly metaphysics. The discipline requires close attention to things like attribution and the historical context in which ideas are shaped and recorded textually. He’s found those same challenges emerging time and again while excavating the history of women in philosophy.
“I guide selection through a mix of scholarly relevance, curricular needs and equity-minded collection principles,” he explains.
Since 1981, Women’s Herstory Month has been recognized in the United States, along with recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8. This is a time to celebrate women's contributions to history, culture and society. Many CU 91Ҹ departments have events this month for Buffs to gather, learn and celebrate together.
That includes prioritizing works from a broad range of eras and schools of thought. The curation is made up of primary texts, critical editions, translations and influential secondary scholarship.
“My criteria emphasize significance to philosophical inquiry, evidence of scholarly engagement, instructional usefulness and how well a work helps broaden representation within the collection.”
In addition to consulting canonical texts, Carey is also working closely with faculty, academic bibliographies and scholarly networks to find philosophers whose ideas have often gone unacknowledged.
Some of the most telling examples, he notes, are figures whose intellectual labor was historically overshadowed by their male collaborators.
Harriet Taylor Mill, for instance, co-developed many of the ideas that appear in the famous works of her husband, John Stuart Mill. Yet her writings are frequently read as background rather than as theories in their own right.
Harriet Taylor Mill (right) co-developed many of the ideas that appear in the famous works of her husband, John Stuart Mill (left). Yet her writings are frequently read as background rather than as theories in their own right. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
“Because her ideas were so closely intertwined with John Stuart Mill’s work, her independent writings are often overlooked,” Carey says. “Many ideas in Mill’s major works emerged from an ongoing philosophical partnership, which Mill himself acknowledged, but the texts were largely published under his name.”
Who gets remembered?
Sadly, stories like Mill’s aren’t exceptions to the rule.
“One pattern I’ve noticed is that women’s philosophical contributions were often either anonymized, published under a male relative or mentor or framed as supplementary commentary rather than original thought,” Carey says.
When, rarely, their ideas were published, many were selectively preserved or excluded from the mainstream discourse. The result is a philosophical canon that tells a much narrower story than reality.
Carey’s curation calls attention to the mechanisms at play behind this trend. Power, name recognition and cataloging decisions have all played a role in deciding what work survived.
Recovering the voices lost to time means revisiting assumptions about whose ideas matter and why.
While that process can’t fully reverse the fallout of centuries of exclusion, Carey hopes it can open new doors for philosophical exploration.
“Recovering her contributions is likely an impossible task,” he says of Mill, “but attempting to do so challenges how credit and authority have been assigned in the canon.”
Including women philosophers in the core curriculum also does much more than diversify the reading list. Being exposed to a wider range of voices influences how students engage with the discipline.
“Engaging with these works helps students develop a more complete and nuanced understanding of philosophy and its history. It exposes them to a wider range of perspectives, ideas and approaches to key questions, which strengthens their critical thinking and analytical skills,” Carey says.
“Including these voices broadens and complicates our understanding of major philosophical movements,” he explains. “It challenges the traditional narrative that ideas emerged solely from a small, predominantly male canon, showing instead that women were active participants, critics and innovators.”
Beyond classroom learning, this more inclusive lens transforms philosophy into an urgent force for good in the real world.
“When we center voices that have historically been silenced or ignored, philosophy becomes more inclusive, relevant and socially engaged,” Carey adds.
A record worth rewriting
Ultimately, Carey hopes the collection will inspire conversations across disciplines about who shapes knowledge and how we define credibility on the path to building a more equitable academic tradition.
“I hope this collection project sparks conversations about representation, authorship and diversifying materials,” he says. “Within the CU community, I hope it encourages faculty and students to integrate these voices into their teaching and research, rethinking whose ideas are centered and why.
“It’s only through broad collaboration that these voices and perspectives will get the attention they deserve.”
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