I am Director of the Buchanan Center for Peace and Nonviolence at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy.

My work brings together ethics, social and political philosophy, and the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. I am especially interested in how King’s social philosophy can help us address the deep divisions of contemporary public life.

I hold a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Texas A&M University and an M.A. in Communication, with a concentration in political rhetoric. My scholarship includes work on humility, the relationship between humility and social activism, and the application of King’s concept of agape to political polarization in contemporary society.

My teaching experience includes introductory courses in philosophy, logic, and ethics, as well as upper-division courses in theoretical and applied ethics, social and political philosophy, philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. Through my teaching, research, and public work, I seek to help people think more clearly, engage one another more constructively, and contribute to stronger organizations and communities.

Beyond academia, I have organized civic leadership forums and community discussions and have appeared in radio interviews and webinars.

jennifer.wargin@avila.edu