Postdoc Caleb Ward uses his .xyz to exhibit his work in feminist philosophy and ethics

CalebWard.xyz – Namecheap customer – (Germany)

The .xyz community is home to many skilled individuals using .xyz to highlight their creative work, academic accomplishments, and career experiences. Author and researcher Nadia Asparouhova uses Nadia.xyz to showcase her tech-focused projects. Award-winning journalist and NPR co-host Adrian Ma uses AdrianMa.xyz to highlight his career experiences. Content marketer and writer Allaire Rae Conte shares her portfolio on Allaire.xyz. In this week’s #WebsiteWednesday, we’ll introduce you to a postdoctoral research associate who shares his work using a “FirstNameLastName.xyz” domain: CalebWard.xyz.

CalebWard.xyz is the personal website of Caleb Ward, a postdoctoral research associate in philosophy at the University of Hamburg, where he has taught courses on subjects such as feminist philosophy, racism, and social movements. As he states on CalebWard.xyz, his work studies “unjust social structures and their effects on agency and moral imagination.” Caleb earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy at Stony Brook University (SUNY), where his dissertation examined “moral responsibility in sexual intimacy, particularly as shaped by pernicious, gender-based societal pressures on sexual behavior and communication.”

Bringing attention to an important figure in the fight against injustice

Caleb’s current research project is an in-depth study of the philosophical work of Black American poet and activist Audre Lorde, who described herself as a “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet.” ¹A pioneer in addressing and confronting injustices brought about by racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia, Lorde not only published several books of poetry and prose, but was also an outspoken activist. She co-founded the first U.S. publishing company for women of color, and helped establish organizations in the Virgin Islands and South Africa in support of women victimized by sexual abuse and racism.

Lorde is the subject of Caleb’s first book, The Unflinching Philosophy of Audre Lorde, which he is currently writing under contract with Oxford University Press (as of April 1, 2024). The book aims to bring more attention to Lorde’s lesser-known work in philosophy and political theory.

Presenting research in three streams

CalebWard.xyz presents Caleb’s research in three streams: Audre Lorde, Sexual Ethics and Politics, and Non-Ideal Agency. Through these streams, he is able to explore “oppressive social structures shape three areas of everyday life: (1) how we interpret the conditions we live under and gain agency to change them, (2) what we judge to be right and wrong, and (3) how we imagine alternative ways of living together.”

Additionally, Caleb uses CalebWard.xyz to showcase his publications, providing links to the full texts where possible. He exhibits some of the complimentary things his students have said about his teaching, from the “open and welcoming atmosphere of the course” to his enthusiasm and “approachable and friendly” manner.²

Shining a spotlight on both researcher and subject

Using a FirstNameLastName.xyz domain like CalebWard.xyz can help make it easier for Caleb and his research to be discoverable online. Anyone who Googles “caleb ward philosophy” or “caleb ward phd” will see CalebWard.xyz at the top of the search results page (as of April 1, 2024). He also displays his CalebWard.xyz domain on his X/Twitter profile.

Caleb is not the only one who benefits from the greater visibility that CalebWard.xyz provides. People who search for “audre lorde philosophy” will also find Caleb’s website displayed as the top result (as of April 1, 2024). In this way, CalebWard.xyz is not only a useful resource for those who want to learn more about Caleb, his research, and his teaching, but it also allows people interested in Audre Lorde to learn more about this important feminist voice and activist for LGBTQ+ rights. You can learn more about Caleb by following him on X/Twitter and by visiting CalebWard.xyz.