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About Us

The BPPA is a volunteer association of postgraduate philosophy students in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Our association is born out of the conviction that left to their own devices, too many postgrad philosophers tend to read Kripke or Heidegger alone in the dark. As a result, most of our energies are directed towards helping young philosophers bridge the geographical boundaries between their different universities and departments and make contact with each other. If you are a postgrad philosophy student, we live in the hope that our activities will make you a happier person, a better philosopher, or both.

The BPPA is best known as the proud parent of the BPPA Annual Conference and our twice-yearly Philosophy Masterclasses.

BPPA Executive Committee

The main day-to-day running of the BPPA is handled by our Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is in turn advised by the BPPA Council, made up of past committee members, some honorary lifetime members, our venerable founders Ewan and Simon, and others who have shown themselves brave and true in the cause of the BPPA. Finally, we maintain close contact with a number of Britain’s leading professional philosophical associations, who sit on our Advisory Board and whom we occasionally approach for guidance on strategic matters. We also maintain a nationwide network of student reps, who are there to let us know of any critical needs or issues brought to their attention. And, of course, most importantly, we listen to our members, too. We believe this structure provides us with a deep and broad pool of experience and talent from which to best serve our members.

Each year we appoint student events teams to organise our Annual Conference and Masterclasses. These teams change regularly — could you be on the next one?

Executive Committee 2011-12

President Richard Rowland (University of Reading)
Vice-President Roxanna Lynch (University of Swansea)
Treasurer Paul Giladi (University of Sheffield)
Secretary Helen Robertson (University College London)
Events Coordinator Joanne Lovesey (Heythrop)
Fundraising Coordinator Barry Glennon (University of Reading)
Webmaster Geoff Ferrari (Oxford)

Advisory Board

Dr. Mike Beaney (York)
British Society for History of Philosophy
Dr. Helen Beebee (Birmingham)
British Philosophical Association
Professor Tim Chappell (Open University)
Mind Association
Dr. Rachel Cooper (Lancaster)
British Society for the Philosophy of Science
Dr. Simon Glendinning (LSE)
Forum for European Philosophy
Dr. Simon Kirchin (Kent)
British Society for Ethical Theory
Dr. Aaron Meskin (Leeds)
British Society of Aesthetics
Dr. Clare Saunders (Leeds)
Higher Education Academy
Dr. Alison Stone (Lancaster)
Society for Women in Philosophy

We are keen to hear from any other professional philosophical organisations who would like to play an active role with us in developing Britain’s postgraduate philosophy community.

Council

  • Professor Tom Baldwin (York) — Honorary Life Member
  • Professor Jonathan Dancy (Reading) — Honorary Life Member
  • Professor Christopher Hookway (Sheffield) — Honorary Life Member
  • Dr. Geraldine Coggins (Keele)
  • Dr. Alix Cohen (Cambridge)
  • Dr. Mark Day (Nottingham)
  • Dr. Mahlete-Tsige Getachew (York)
  • Dr. Jon Gorvett (Nottingham)
  • Dr. Simon Kirchin (Kent)
  • Ewan McEachran (founder member)
  • Michael McElroy (Cork)
  • Dr. Constantine Sandis (Oxford Brookes)

University Reps

We are keen to maintain links with all philosophy departments in the UK and Ireland so that we have a good picture of postgraduate needs, and so that students and lecturers are aware of what we can do for them. If you’re a postgraduate student and are interested in being the link for your department, please get in touch. It’s a great way to meet lively students and leading academics across the nation, and to influence postgraduate philosophy in Britain for the better.

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