Iris Marion Young

Soon after I left last week, I heard the news that Iris Young had died. I didn’t know her at all, so I don’t have anything to add to the heartfelt reminisces of those who did. There are hundreds of blog posts on her listed “here”:http://technorati.com/search/%22iris%20marion%20young%22. The Chicago memorial notice is “here”:http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/06/060802.young.shtml. “Daniel Drezner”:http://www.danieldrezner.com/archives/002830.html was a colleague of hers at Chicago.

bq. It would be safe to say that Iris and I disagreed a fair amount on matters of politics and policy. It would also be safe to say that I really did not care. Iris was one of the more decent people I’ve met in the academy — indefatigable and interested in everything. Her students — and there were many of them — were devoted to her.

bq. She had been suffering from cancer for the past year or so, not that this slowed her down all that much. The way she carried herself was remarkable — not because Iris was all bulldog determination in the face of her illness and treatment, or any such maudlin sentiment. Rather, she was cheerfully unafraid to tell you exactly how she was feeling, and doing so in a way that filtered the awkwardness out of the conversation.

bq. She was both brave and gentle, and she will be missed.