Photo: University of California, Berkeley / CC0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Judith Butler, born on February 24, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, is a philosopher, writer and university teacher. As of 2026, Judith Butler is 70 years old. Schooling on record includes Bennington College. Listed accolades include Brudner Prize (2004), honorary doctorate of the Bordeaux Montaigne University (2011), honorary doctorate from the University of Paris-VII (2011) and 5 more. Credited works include Gender Trouble and Bodies That Matter.
My Take
Judith Butler is not someone I can pretend to summarize neatly, but Gender Trouble plainly reshaped how a generation thinks about identity. From Cleveland to the center of contemporary philosophy, Butler took assumptions most people never questioned and pried them open. I will be honest: parts of the prose defeat me, and the work draws fierce disagreement. Yet the willingness to unsettle settled ground is exactly what serious thought demands, and the Adorno Prize and honorary doctorates reflect a mind the world cannot ignore. Whatever side one lands on, the refusal to stop interrogating is, to me, scholarship at its purest.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Judith Butler
- Name (Japanese)
- ジュディス・バトラー
- Reading
- じゅでぃす・ばとらー
- Born
- February 24, 1956 (age 70)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Monkey
- Origin
- Cleveland, Ohio, United States
- Occupation
- philosopher / writer / university teacher / sociologist / literary critic
2. Background
- University
- Bennington College
Awards & achievements
- 2004 Brudner Prize
- 2011 honorary doctorate of the Bordeaux Montaigne University
- 2011 honorary doctorate from the University of Paris-VII
- 2012 Theodor W. Adorno Award
- 2013 honorary doctorate from the McGill University
- 2013 honorary doctor of the University of St Andrews
- 2014 Honorary doctor of the University of Fribourg
- 2015 Honorary doctor of the University of Liège
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Gender Trouble | — | |
| Notable work | Bodies That Matter | — |
4. Links
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Judith Butler born?
Born February 24, 1956 (age 70).
Where is Judith Butler from?
Judith Butler is from Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
What does Judith Butler do?
Judith Butler works as philosopher, writer, university teacher, sociologist, literary critic.
What is Judith Butler known for?
Notable works include Gender Trouble, Bodies That Matter.
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