On Sunday 12th March, our much-loved friend, colleague and tutor, Professor Pamela Sue Anderson died following a two-year battle with cancer. Pamela passed away peacefully in the company of members of her family.
ABOUT PAMELA
Following studies at Yale University and Mansfield College, Oxford, Pamela enjoyed a distinguished academic career as a pioneer in the field of Feminist Philosophy of Religion. She came to Regent’s Park in 2001 from the University of Sunderland, and she held a number of positions here, including Dean and Women’s Officer, alongside her academic role as Fellow and Director of Studies in Philosophy. In the true spirit of Regent’s, Pamela combined academic rigour and acuity with an indomitable commitment to the welfare of her students. She will be sorely missed by our whole community, past and present.
During her time in Oxford, Pamela also became a prominent figure in the Faculties of Theology and Philosophy, being in what she described as the ‘limbo’ between the two, as a Philosopher of Religion! Her prodigious output of academic books and articles included the following: Ricoeur and Kant: Philosophy of the Will (1993); A Feminist Philosophy of Religion: The Rationality and Myths of Religious Belief (1997); Feminist Philosophy of Religion: Critical Readings, which she co-edited with Beverley Clack (2004); and Revisioning Gender in Philosophy of Religion: Reason, Love and Epistemic Locatedness (2012). At the time of her death, Pamela was working on a book entitled, In Dialogue With Michèle Le Doeuff. In recognition of her contribution to the study of Feminist Philosophy, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lund, Sweden, in 2009, and was made Professor of Modern European Philosophy of Religion by the University of Oxford in 2014.
LEGACY
Having discovered that her cancer was terminal, Pamela spent some time in conversation with colleagues at Regent’s about the form that her legacy to the academic world and Oxford, in particular, might take. Alongside her body of publications, she leaves behind a student-support fund, the ‘Pamela Sue Anderson Studentship for the Encouragement of the Place of Women in Philosophy’. Her family have requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Pamela be made towards this fund. It will soon be possible to donate electronically (visit: https://www.campaign.ox.ac.uk/regents-park-college) but in the meantime, enquiries should be directed to the Director of Development, Ms Julie Reynolds: julie.reynolds@regents.ox.ac.uk.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
In the coming weeks a number of services will be held to mark Pamela’s death and to give thanks for her life, and alumni and friends are welcome to attend any or all:
Wednesday 15th March
The Chapel at Regent’s Park will be open throughout the day, with a short service of prayer at 1:30pm.
Saturday 18th March
Funeral at the Oxford Crematorium, 11am
Celebration of Pamela’s Life at Mansfield College, Oxford, 1pm (followed by refreshments)
Address: Mansfield College Chapel, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TF
Sunday 23rd April
College Service of Thanksgiving at Regent’s Park College, Oxford, 4pm
(This will be Sunday 1st Week, Trinity Term.)