Christoph Cox is the New Dean of Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts is renowned for its expansive vision of liberal arts education, encouraging undergraduates to pursue their intellectual curiosity while engaging with contemporary issues in preparation for creating critical change in the world. Christoph Cox was recently appointed dean of Eugene Lang College at a pivotal moment for Lang and the university as the college continues to evolve, innovate, and advance its tradition of progressive education through intellectual and artistic inquiry.
A philosopher, critic, and curator of visual and sonic art, Cox has more than 25 years of experience working in progressive liberal arts institutions dedicated to interdisciplinary, student-directed education. He will work to develop the diverse and engaged learning experiences offered at Lang and the college’s focus on social justice issues to prepare students to respond to and succeed in today’s rapidly evolving world. Cox will formally join Lang on August 1, 2022.
“As we continue to dedicate ourselves to a truly student-focused curriculum, we sought a leader with a clear and compelling vision for the humanities, scholarly exploration, and excellence in transdisciplinary education and a strong commitment to building an inclusive teaching and learning environment,” said Renée T. White, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs at The New School, in a press release. “Christoph brings those attributes and more. He has the track record, skills, and innovative approach to take Eugene Lang College to the next level of excellence, and I look forward to a collaborative partnership in the years to come.”
Most recently, Cox served as the vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the Faculty at Hampshire College. He has also taught and served on the Graduate Committee at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College. Before joining Hampshire College, he was the William Rainey Harper Instructor in the Humanities and Philosophy at the University of Chicago and a visiting assistant professor of philosophy at Hamilton College.
“I’m tremendously excited to be joining Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts as dean,” said Cox. “I have such respect and admiration for Lang’s faculty, its innovative and rigorous curriculum, and its commitment to social justice. To my mind, Lang exemplifies what liberal arts education should be in the 21st century: interdisciplinary, experimental, progressive, and oriented toward tackling the compelling global issues of our time. I’m drawn to Lang’s wonderfully creative and engaged students and look forward to partnering with faculty and staff to develop the next generation of leaders ready to meet the needs and challenges of an ever-changing world.”
Cox succeeds Jennifer Wilson, who concludes her tenure as Lang’s dean on July 31, 2022. After a sabbatical, Wilson will return to teaching and research in mathematics in Lang’s Natural Sciences and Mathematics department.
“Christoph is an accomplished scholar, administrator, and dedicated teacher, and his love for Eugene Lang College was apparent throughout the selection process,” said Wilson in a press release. “He brings a fresh point of view on the transformative potential of a liberal arts education, and his leadership will help push the college forward as it continues to innovate and evolve the learning opportunities, resources, and community that are essential for students to realize their potential as changemakers.”
Cox teaches and writes on contemporary European philosophy, cultural theory, and aesthetics. He is the author of Sonic Flux: Sound, Art, and Metaphysics (University of Chicago Press, 2018) and Nietzsche: Naturalism and Interpretation (University of California Press, 1999) and was a co-editor of Realism Materialism Art (Sternberg, 2015) and Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music (Continuum, 2004 and 2017). Cox is a recipient of an Arts Writers Grant from Creative Capital/Warhol Foundation and serves as editor at large at Cabinet magazine. His writing has appeared in journals and magazines such as October, Artforum, Journal of the History of Philosophy, The Wire, the Journal of Visual Culture, Organised Sound, and the Review of Metaphysics.
In addition to working as a critic and theorist, Cox has curated numerous exhibitions at venues across the United States, including the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, The Kitchen, CONTEXT Art Miami, New Langton Arts, and G Fine Art Gallery. He has written essays for catalogs of exhibitions at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, Mass MoCA, the South London Gallery, Berlin’s Akademie der Künste, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Oslo Kunstforening, and other institutions.
Cox holds a PhD in the History of Consciousness from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a BA in Modern Culture and Media from Brown University.