Sharyn Clough: Intellectual Heroes

Paul Robeson, 1898-1976, photo credit, Sasha, 1925. The year I moved to Philadelphia (1998) marked the centenary of his birth and the city was celebrating. All year I learned about Robeson's ground-breaking contributions in sports, law, theatre, and social justice. He deserves an entire page to himself, but here he must share it with authors, rockstars, and philosophers.  Heroes come in many forms. But Paul Robeson is number one. Learn more about him here.

Richard Rorty, 1931-2007, Photo credit, Lionel Metz. Reading Rorty has taught me that despite the contingent nature of all the values we hold dear, we still have to get out of bed in the morning to try to make the world a better place. He died June 8, 2007 and left us to continue this challenge. Let's make him proud! For more about Rorty's work, click here.

Alan Turing, 1912-1954, mathematician, computer scientist, philosopher, code-breaker, ahead of his time. My favourite website is hosted by Turing's biographer, Andrew Hodges. Visit it here.

Angela Davis, feminist, socialist, advocate for prison reform, seen here at a book signing for Women's History Month at Rowan University, March 1999. For more about Davis's work, click here.

Gord Downie, singer/songwriter, The Tragically Hip. Photo credit, Clemens Rikken. Where most bands get you excited about sex, drugs and rock and roll, Gord Downie gets you excited about sex, shipwrecks, and arcane Canadiana. For more about the Tragically Hip, click here.