Jordan Peterson is a Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology who taught at the University of Toronto from 1998 to 2020. He became well-known internationally in 2016 for his public stance against the Canadian government’s Bill C-16, which added gender identity and expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act. Since then, Peterson has continued to be an influential and sometimes controversial public figure. His employment status at the University of Toronto has been a point of interest for many of his followers.
Brief Background on Jordan Peterson
Jordan Bernt Peterson was born in 1962 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He studied political science and psychology at the University of Alberta, completing his BA in 1982. He went on to earn his PhD in clinical psychology from McGill University in 1991.
After completing his doctorate, Peterson served as a psychology professor at Harvard University from 1993 to 1997. In 1998, he accepted a position as a professor in the psychology department at the University of Toronto.
At the University of Toronto, Peterson conducted research on personality and abnormal, social, and clinical psychology. He became a full professor in 2000. His areas of study included the psychology of religious and ideological belief, and the assessment and improvement of personality and performance.
Outside of academia, Peterson gained recognition for his self-help book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, published in 2018. The book was an international bestseller, further adding to Peterson’s fame.
However, it was Peterson’s public objections to Bill C-16 that really propelled him into the spotlight. In 2016, Peterson released a series of YouTube videos criticizing Bill C-16 and refusing to comply with aspects of the bill that he regarded as compelled speech. This led to significant controversy and protests on campus.
Peterson’s Employment at the University of Toronto
Jordan Peterson was employed at the University of Toronto from 1998 until his retirement in 2020. For the majority of those years, he served as a tenured professor in the department of psychology.
1998-2020: Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
During his over 20 years at the University of Toronto, Peterson held the following positions:
– 1998-2004: Assistant Professor
– 2004-2009: Associate Professor
– 2009-2017: Full Professor
– 2017-2020: Full Professor (on partial leave or fully leave as described below)
In 2017, Peterson requested a leave of absence from the University following the public controversies related to Bill C-16 and his YouTube videos. There was also significant pressure on the university to fire Peterson at this time.
The details of Peterson’s leave status over the next few years have been somewhat disputed. Here is a summary of what is known:
– July 2017 – Peterson takes leave from the University for an unspecified period of time.
– January 2018 – Peterson’s leave is extended through 2018. Peterson claims this was a mutual agreement between him and the university.
– Fall 2018 – Peterson reportedly refused to return to teaching when his leave ended. The university denied this and said Peterson remained on leave.
– 2019 – Peterson was on leave for the full year and did not teach.
– January 2020 – Peterson retired from his tenured professor position, entering into an agreement for his voluntary departure from the University of Toronto.
So in summary, Peterson remained employed by the University of Toronto as a professor until January 2020, when he formally retired from his position by mutual agreement with the university. From 2017 through his retirement, he was technically on full or partial leave and did not teach classes.
Reasons for Peterson’s Departure
There are a few key reasons that help explain Jordan Peterson’s transition from professor to retired status between 2017 and 2020:
– Controversies related to Bill C-16 – The significant public attention and campus protests resulting from Peterson’s vocal opposition to Bill C-16’s requirements was likely a major factor in his decision to take leaves from teaching. Remaining on campus likely would have been very difficult for both Peterson and the University during this period of controversy.
– Health issues – In 2019, Peterson sought treatment for a benzodiazepine dependency that he had developed while coping with anxiety issues and other health problems. This rehab process reportedly took 8 months. His health issues and treatment needs likely made teaching difficult during this time.
– Outside opportunities – As his public profile grew enormously in the late 2010s, Peterson had many demands on his time separate from teaching. His bestselling book, speaking engagements, podcasts, online following, etc. provided many competing opportunities. Staying focused on teaching may have become difficult with his new found fame and platform.
– Desire for change – After over 20 years teaching psychology at the University of Toronto, it is quite possible that Peterson simply wished to move on to new challenges and projects. His interests had expanded far beyond just academic psychology. Retiring from his professorship gave him freedom to pursue other endeavors.
So in summary, it was likely a combination of controversy, health issues, outside opportunities, and changing interests that all contributed to Peterson stepping away from his professor role at the University of Toronto. But the departure does not appear to have been the university abruptly firing him or pushing him out against his will. Leaves and eventual voluntary retirement enabled his transition.
What Peterson Has Done Since Retiring in 2020
Since retiring from his long-time post at the University of Toronto in January 2020, Jordan Peterson has remained very active and continued working on a range of projects and activities, including:
– Authoring additional books – In 2021 Peterson published Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, a follow-up to his bestselling first book. In 2022 he published 12 More Rules which expanded on the ideas from his previous books.
– Launching an online university – In mid 2022, Peterson announced he was starting his own online university called The Peterson Academy. The platform offers Peterson’s lectures and other courses related to his teachings.
– Continuing media activities – Peterson maintains an active presence on YouTube, podcasts, live interviews, and other media. He discusses his viewpoints, engages in debates, gives lectures, and shares personal updates with his large following.
– Touring and public speaking – In 2021 and 2022 Peterson gave several public speaking tours in venues across North America and the UK. He speaks about topics related to his teachings, politics, psychology, and philosophy.
– Providing online self-help programs – On Peterson’s website, he offers various online courses and memberships providing access to videos, lectures, Q&As and other material related to improving life, relationships, and mental health.
– Maintaining online forums – Online communities like Jordan Peterson’s subreddit continue to share and discuss his viewpoints and content. Peterson occasionally participates directly in the forums.
– Recovering from health issues – Reports indicate Peterson has continued rehabilitation to fully recover from his benzodiazepine dependence and other health problems.
So in his first couple years after retiring from his professorship, Peterson clearly remains very busy as a public figure, author, speaker, and entrepreneur providing resources related to his philosophical and psychological teachings. He has maintained a significant following even after leaving the University of Toronto and found new ways to connect with his audience.
Would Peterson Consider Returning to Teaching?
Given his high profile public life and new projects occupying his time after retiring in 2020, it seems unlikely that Jordan Peterson has plans to return to academia and teaching psychology at the University of Toronto or elsewhere.
However, there are a few possibilities that may lead Peterson to teach again in some capacity:
– Teaching selectively at his new online university – While Peterson University offers his pre-recorded lectures, Peterson potentially could do some live interactive teaching for select courses. This would allow him to teach topics of special interest without a full teaching load.
– Offering an occasional guest lecture/seminar – Peterson may find appeal in occasionally returning to academic settings to offer a lecture, seminar, or short course as a visiting speaker sharing his perspectives. This could let him engage students without long-term obligations.
– Developing a psychology graduate program – If his online university expanded, Peterson may be tempted to launch a small graduate program in psychology that he led and taught courses for. This could train students in his integrative perspectives on psychology, research, clinical practice, etc.
– Returning to the University of Toronto – While less likely, Peterson may decide he misses academia enough to request returning to teach for a semester or year as a retired professor emeritus. The university may grant this if controversy died down further.
– Moving to a new university – It’s possible another university more aligned with Peterson’s perspectives may offer him a teaching role he finds appealing. This could provide a fresh start in a new environment.
Overall the chances seem low that teaching would be a major focus for Peterson again. But it’s not impossible to imagine opportunities arising that led him to take on some selective teaching roles integrated with his broader public mission. Only time will tell whether academia will continue play any part in Peterson’s career.
Conclusion
In summary, Jordan Peterson was employed as a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto from 1998 until his mutual retirement agreement in January 2020.
Following controversial debates related to Bill C-16 and expanded opportunities related to Peterson’s booming public profile in the late 2010s, he took a series of leaves from teaching before retiring. Health issues and changing interests also likely contributed to this career transition.
Since retiring, Peterson remains actively engaged in media, speaking, writing, and online courses aimed at sharing his teachings on psychology, philosophy, and life guidance. He has not returned to academia but could potentially take on select teaching roles in the future as part of his evolving public mission.
For now, it appears the chapter of Professor Jordan Peterson at the University of Toronto has ended. But his wider impact on psychology, public discourse, and the self-help space continues as he enters new frontiers beyond just academic teaching. His legacy and influence seem sure to endure, regardless of his formal university status.