Ann Cudd

Ann E. Cudd is an American academic and philosopher who currently serves as the 11th President of Portland State University, a position she assumed on August 1, 2023. Prior to this role, she was the provost and senior vice chancellor, along with being a professor of philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh. She also held the position of dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston University. Earlier in her career, she was the vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies, and a university distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of Kansas. Cudd also served as an affiliated faculty member in the Women, Gender, and Sexualities Studies Program at the University of Kansas. She was instrumental in founding the Society for Analytical Feminism and served as its president from 1995 to 1999. Her academic work is primarily focused on feminist theory, the philosophy of social science, and social and political philosophy. She is considered a key figure in analytical feminism, applying analytical philosophy methods to feminist issues. Cudd has authored several books, including "Analyzing Oppression" and "Capitalism For and Against: A Feminist Debate," and numerous journal articles and book chapters. Her research often employs rational choice theory to analyze power relationships and oppression, examining the objective conditions and available choices that define oppressive situations.