Douglas Giles, Ph.D.

Adjunct Assistant Professor at Elmhurst University

Bio

Dr. Douglas Giles is an adjunct assistant professor of philosophy at Elmhurst University where he teaches part-time to be able to devote more time to research and writing. He studied philosophy and religious studies at the University of Minnesota and earned his PhD in social-political philosophy at the University of Essex with a thesis on “Rethinking Misrecognition and Struggles for Recognition: Critical Theory Beyond Honneth.”

He is a philosopher by trade and temperament, bringing philosophy out of its insular ivory tower and into everyday life where it can be put to good uses. In classrooms, books, papers, online articles, videos, and podcasts, Dr. Giles facilitates discussion that digs deeper into holistic and meaningful ideas that deal with causes not symptoms.

His primary research is applying a phenomenological approach to the lived experiences and actions of individuals, groups, and social and political institutions. His research helps us better understand social injustices and how people respond to them and how individuals construct and maintain personal identities and social meanings. He has published on the theory of recognition, critical theory, and political philosophy. His books include How We Are and How We Got Here: A Practical History of Western Philosophy, and Left Wing, Right Wing, People, and Power: The Core Dynamics of Political Action.

Dr. Giles discovered Dr. Stegmaier’s philosophy of orientation in 2023 and quickly became a convert to this insightful approach to philosophy. He now incorporates the philosophy of orientation into his research into politics, lived experience, and identity formation.

Find his website here.