Jordan Peterson entered the national spotlight in 2016 through a series of YouTube videos addressing federal legislation concerning gender identity and expression.
Academic Foundation
Born in Edmonton in 1962, Peterson pursued higher education at Grande Prairie Regional College and the University of Alberta, where he earned degrees in political science and psychology. In 1985, he moved to Montreal to attend McGill University. Under the supervision of Robert O. Pihl, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy in clinical psychology in 1991. During his subsequent tenure as a postdoctoral researcher at McGill, his work focused on familial alcoholism and associated psychopathologies, including childhood aggression.
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Peterson relocated to the United States in 1993 to serve as a university teacher and researcher at Harvard University. He remained in that position until 1998, when he returned to Canada. Upon his return, he accepted a role as a professor at the University of Toronto. Throughout these academic years, his research areas expanded to include neuropsychology, personality psychology, and the psychology of religion.
Publications and Public Influence
In 1999, Peterson published his first book, Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief, which integrated elements of philosophy, mythology, and neuroscience. He gained significant global reach with the 2018 release of 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, which became an international bestseller. His third book, Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, followed in 2021. These works, alongside his podcasting and lecture series, have garnered millions of views and established his presence as an internet celebrity and commentator.
Professional and Personal Transitions
Peterson maintained a private clinical practice for most of his career, working with roughly 20 patients a week before putting his practice on hold in 2017. He resigned from his position at the University of Toronto in 2021. In 2022, he assumed the role of chancellor at the newly established Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. His career has been marked by health challenges, including benzodiazepine dependence in 2019 and 2020, and a hospitalization for chronic inflammatory response syndrome in 2025.
Fast facts
- Born: 1962, Edmonton
- Academic Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
- Notable Works: Maps of Meaning, 12 Rules for Life, Beyond Order
- Employer: University of Toronto
- Employer: Harvard University
- Employer: McGill University
- Citizenship: Canada
- Language: English
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Jordan Peterson teach at the university level?
He taught and conducted research in fields including psychology, neuropsychology, personality psychology, and the psychology of religion.
Where did Peterson serve as chancellor?
In 2022, he became the chancellor of Ralston College, a private, unaccredited liberal arts institution located in Savannah, Georgia.
Achievements
- Notable work: 12 Rules for Life
- Notable work: Beyond Order
- Notable work: Maps of Meaning
- Held posts at Harvard University, McGill University and University of Toronto
- Educated at Grande Prairie Regional College, McGill University and University of Alberta
- Fields of research: clinical psychology, neuropsychology, personality psychology and psychology
