Leland Harper

Leland Harper never intended to be a philosopher. It just kind of happened that way. It all started at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) where Harper was taking some philosophy and sociology courses, mostly because they fit his full-time work schedule while he tried to figure out what he wanted to do with his career.

“I ended up enjoying and doing well in those philosophy courses. That’s how I started off down this road,” he says. “It was just gelling with my philosophy professors that first term. That’s pretty much all it was.” Today, Harper is an assistant professor of philosophy at Siena Heights University in Michigan, teaching second- and fourth-year philosophy and liberal arts courses. He also served as the interim director of the university’s Ethnic and Gender Studies Institute.

Already an author of two books, Harper has a third on its way. His first, Multiverse Deism: Shifting Perspectives of God and the World, was released by Lexington Books in May of 2020. He edited an anthology, The Crisis of American Democracy, that was published in the fall of 2020 and a book he co-authored about race, language, injustice and democracy in the U.S. will be out this spring. For most of his academic career, he’s been concerned with philosophy of religion, exploring religious experiences, miracles and alternative concepts of God. Lately, he’s transitioned to focus on the philosophy of race.

“As a multi-racial Canadian raised by a white mother in an Asian neighbourhood, I have some identity issues that I’m trying to figure out, right?” Harper says. “Now I’m working in the United States, and I’m noticing these subtle differences between the U.S. and Canada, in terms of race and justice. I think moving forward, one of my projects is going to be to draw clear distinctions between those two countries, and how they deal with racism and injustice.” Growing up in East Vancouver, Harper had his first experience with philosophy through a Grade 11 distance education course offered by the University of Athabasca, which he took because he could earn high school and university credits. After graduating high school, he planned on becoming a chef, but was denied a promotion when he was 19. He quit in response and decided to try university instead. He says he applied to “literally every university in the area,” with the intention of attending the first institution that let him in, applying for every kind of program – fashion design, criminology, general studies, you name it. KPU was the first school to send an acceptance letter. Harper explored different subjects during his time at KPU, which he says allowed him the freedom to follow his curiosity and develop intellectually. It also helped him figure out what he’s not interested in, which is equally as important when on a path of academic self-discovery. “I think if I went the big standard university route where you pick a major right away and you’re stuck in all these required courses, I wouldn’t have been able to experience that,” he says. Harper graduated with a B.A. in general studies in 2010. During his time at KPU, he hit it off with philosophy instructor Colin Ruloff, who suggested he pursue graduate studies in that field. Harper moved to Toronto, where he earned a master’s at Ryerson University, focused on the philosophy of religion, before heading to the U.K. to get his Ph.D. at the University of Birmingham. Then, armed with his credentials, he returned to Canada – and couldn’t find a job in his field. “It’s a tough market,” Harper says. “I applied for probably 150 or 200 jobs, got maybe a couple of interviews, but didn’t get any of them.” As he searched for work, he supported his family through hospitality jobs. Then, by chance, Ruloff suggested Harper as his sabbatical replacement at KPU, effectively giving him the big break he needed to pursue academia as a profession. He also runs a consulting company, Leland Harper Consulting, which focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion in the hospitality industry, inspired by his time working in that field.

Looking back on it now, Harper says the greatest benefit of his KPU education was the relationships he built with the faculty, which allowed him to get to where he is today. “If I wouldn’t have buddied up with Colin, I would never have gotten that email telling me to apply for the job,” he says. “Then I probably would not have ever gotten the next job because I wouldn’t have had the experience.”