Diversity in the

Curriculum

Department of PhilosophyAAM dissemination event

October 2015

Gender under-representation in Philosophy

Paucity of female philosophers at post-graduate level, and beyond Undergraduate level – good balance of

genders

PROBLEM: why are so few females pursuing philosophy after completing undergraduate study?

REASON for problem (one of them): philosophy as a discipline – across the sector, internationally – is perceived as ‘male’

ACTION to be taken: increase the visibility and profile of female philosophers, especially in our UG curriculum

Society for Women in Philosophy

SWIP UK is an organisation of UK women in philosophy, including students and professionals, working within or outside academic departments. http://www.swipuk.org/

SWIP UK's aims are to facilitate co-operation between women in philosophy

to support women in philosophy

to promote philosophy by women, past and present

to foster feminism in philosophy and philosophy in feminism

to collect information of interest to women in philosophy

to raise public awareness of discrimination against women in philosophy, past and present

to end discrimination against women in philosophy

Society for Women in Philosophy

SWIP UK is an organisation of UK women in philosophy, including students and professionals, working within or outside academic departments. http://www.swipuk.org/

SWIP UK's aims are to facilitate co-operation between women in philosophy

to support women in philosophy

to promote philosophy by women, past and present

to foster feminism in philosophy and philosophy in feminism

to collect information of interest to women in philosophy

to raise public awareness of discrimination against women in philosophy, past and present

to end discrimination against women in philosophy

These can be addressed within the curriculum

From BPA/SWIP guidelines:

Departments should help to break down stereotypical associations of philosophy with maleness, for example by striving for diversity in seminar speakers, syllabi and course reading lists.

Addressing gender balance in the curriculum

Semesterly review of modules at module boards; reflective discussion, including reflection on gender representation on the syllabus/reading list

Commitment by teaching staff to strive to improve gender balance

Involvement of students in our curriculum design:

All sub-Honours modules replaced in 2015-16

Involvement of students from the Society for Women and Minorities in Philosophy in our new module planning – 3 UG members funded as interns

Honours student

Celia Coll

Honours studentPhilosophy Student President

Eleanor Mullin

Honours studentPresident of Women and Minorities in Philosophy Society

Marissa Wallin

URAS interns

From BPA/SWIP guidelines:

Departments should help to break down stereotypical associations of philosophy with maleness, for example by striving for diversity in seminar speakers, syllabi and course reading lists.

It is worth also worth giving thought to how women are included. Adding women in the final week of a module, or only to provide a feminist perspective, can give an impression that women’s contributions are secondary or limited. Ideally, they should be fully integrated into the syllabi.

Interns’ suggestions:

Week 6: Beauty, aesthetic and artistic judgements• The relationships between judgements of beauty, aesthetic judgements, and judgements of artistic value.

Nick Zangwill, ‘Aesthetic Judgement’ (in Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy) Jennifer A. McMahon, ‘Beauty’ (in Routledge Companion to Aesthetics) Crispin Sartwell, ‘Beauty’ (in Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy)

Further Suggestions by interns:

Marcia Muelder Eaton- “In What Does Beauty Consist?” (in “Contemporary Debates in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art” ed. Matthew Kieran).

This article provides an accessible and clear introduction to beauty, addressing initial intuitions about the nature of beauty and discussion common conceptions of the definition of beauty. It extends over other material relevant to the course, offering a brief introduction to Kant and nature appreciation. As an overview article it brings together several of the topics the course covers in an accessible article.

Carolyn Korsmeyer- “Terrible Beauties” (also in “Contemporary Debates”).

Korsmeyer presents an account of the complexities in defining beauty, using the paradox of “terrible beauties”, the paradox of tragedy as a basis for her discussions. The article is interesting and relevant insofar as it demonstrates why defining beauty is so difficult.

3/5- 60%

Week 7: Hume and Kant

Hume on the verdicts of true judges and their scope for disagreement. Kant's universalism about value. David Hume, ‘Of the Standard of Taste’Noel Carroll, ‘Hume’s Standard of Taste’ JAAC 43:2 (1984)Carolyn Korsmeyer, ‘Taste’ (in RCA)Elisabeth Schellekens, ‘Taste and Objectivity’ Philosophy Compass 4:5 (2009) Immanuel Kant, ‘Critique of Judgment’ (extracts)Donald Crawford, ‘Kant’ (in RCA)

Further Suggestions by interns:

Michelle Mason, “Moral Prejudice and Aesthetic Deformity: Rereading Hume’s “Of the Standard of Taste”.

This is a good supplementary article for students interested in Hume. It elucidates the relationship between aesthetic deformity and moral content. Mason explores the difficulty that comes from Hume apparently being unable to engage with artworks prescribing ethical judgements different from those of the percipient. She then raises the more general questions about how Hume’s linking of moral content and aesthetics can be defended. The article is largely accessible and draws on Carroll’s work regarding “Of the Standard of Taste” as well as offering a new interpretation.

3/ 6 50%

Society for Women and Minorities in Philosophy – mentorship scheme