Distinguished Professor Voula Tsouna of the University of California, Santa Barbara, Receives the Title of Doctor Honoris Causa

Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (USA), Voula Tsouna, has been awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the Department of Philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

The award ceremony took place on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, in the Great Hall of the University.

The Rector, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, opened the proceedings with welcoming remarks.

Eleni Perdikouri, Associate Professor of Philosophy of Late Antiquity at the University of Athens, then presented Professor Tsouna’s scholarly achievements and personal qualities.

The formal conferment followed, with Professor Georgios Steiris, Chair of the Department of Philosophy, reading the official citation.

The Dean of the School of Philosophy, Professor Dimitrios Drosos, subsequently invested the honouree with the academic gown of the School.

The ceremony closed with an address by Professor Tsouna titled ‘The Two Worlds’ Problem in Plato’s Republic: A New Interpretation’.

In his welcome address, the Rector, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, said, among other things: ‘Professor Tsouna is a graduate of the School of Philosophy at the University of Athens. From the very beginning of her academic journey, she has charted a path that combines philological precision with philosophical boldness and interpretative insight. She went on to pursue postgraduate and doctoral studies at leading institutions in France and the United Kingdom, renowned for their long-standing tradition in the humanities, under the guidance of prominent scholars of ancient philosophy.

She is internationally recognized as one of the leading scholars in Ancient Greek Philosophy, with a focus on Plato and on Hellenistic and Roman thought, leaving a lasting mark on research worldwide. Her monographs on Philodemus, the Cyrenaic School, ethics, and the concept of eudaimonia in Hellenistic philosophy, as well as her recent interpretative study of Plato’s Charmides, have become reference works that have opened new horizons for scholarly inquiry.

A particularly notable aspect of Professor Tsouna’s work is her approach to ancient philosophy as a living field of reflection. In a systematic manner, she highlights the enduring relevance of ancient thought and its significance for contemporary philosophical and humanistic learning.

Her international recognition is further reflected in the numerous awards she has received, the fellowships granted by leading institutions, the positions of responsibility she has held, as well as her active participation in international scholarly organizations and editorial initiatives. Particular mention should be made of her role as President of the Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy since 2020, a position that attests to the esteem and trust she commands within the global philosophical community. Since 2021, she has been an elected member of the Hardt Foundation for the Study of Classical Antiquity, based in Switzerland. She is also a member of the Administration Council at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences and serves on the National Council for Research, Technology, and Innovation, in the field of Humanities.

Today’s ceremony holds particular significance in view of the honouree’s enduring ties with Greece and with the University of Athens. Despite a long and distinguished global career, she has remained closely associated with the Department of Philosophy, contributing to its work through teaching, active participation in academic life, and a sustained scholarly presence, thereby enhancing the Department’s international standing’.

Photos: Dimitris Konstantinidis