Crystal Addey

Dr Crystal Addey is a Lecturer in the Department of Classics, School of the Human Environment, College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Sciences, at University College Cork. She is a Principal Investigator of the UCC Environmental Research Institute (ERI) and a Founder and Co-Convenor of the Eco-Humanities Research Group. Much of her recent and forthcoming research focuses on environmental philosophy and traditional forms of ecological knowledge, with a specialisation in ancient philosophical and religious ideas about and approaches towards the environment and their possible relevance to contemporary environmental challenges. She is also a Member of the Board of Directors for the International Society for Neoplatonic Studies and an established researcher in the area of Neoplatonism and the Platonic tradition, with a particular research focus on the connections between philosophy and religion in the ancient world, especially in late antiquity. Her research also focuses on the roles of women and gender in ancient philosophy. Dr Addey graduated with a First class BA (Hons) degree from the University of Liverpool in 2000 and then completed a Masters degree in Ancient Philosophy and Mythology in the Department of Classics, University of Wales Lampeter in 2002. She conducted doctoral research in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Bristol, under the supervision of Professor Gillian Clark and obtained her PhD in 2009 (thesis title: ‘The Roles of Divination and Theurgy in the Philosophy of Porphyry and Iamblichus).’ After teaching for several years at Cardiff University (2009-11) and at the University of Wales, Trinity St. David (2011-13), she was appointed as the Classics Centre Co-ordinator (2013-14) for the newly established East End Classics Centre under the aegis of the Capital Classics project, which was established to encourage and promote the teachi

Dr Addey’s research focuses on three main areas: (1) environmental philosophy and traditional forms of ecological knowledge, with a particular specialisation in approaches towards the environment, landscape and place, and the natural world in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and religious traditions; (2) the connections and intersections between philosophy, religion and culture in the Roman imperial period and late antiquity, with a particular specialisation in the relationship between late antique philosophy (especially metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and cosmology) and traditional Mediterranean religions. Her primary focus in this regard is on the roles of oracles and other forms of divination within late antique philosophy and Mediterranean religious traditions; (3) the roles of women in ancient philosophy and the complex relationship between gender and philosophy. She is also interested in the reception of Homer, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle in late antiquity and Byzantium. Her research is interdisciplinary, engaging with – and drawing on – philosophical, historical, anthropological, religious studies and postcolonial research and approaches.

Dr Addey's teaching interests include ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, religions (especially oracles and divination) and magic, ancient Mediterranean religious traditions, religions in late antiquity, the roles of women in ancient philosophy, gender and philosophy, approaches towards animals, the natural world and the environment in Graeco-Roman philosophy, religions and culture, the reception of Homer and Greek literature in late antiquity, the reception of Plato, Socrates and Aristotle in late antiquity, ancient literary theory and book-culture, especially the history of the book, the history of philosophy and the history of religions.