About Us — An Introduction to the BPPA

A happy philosopher at the NPAPC

Two happy philosophers at the NPAPC

Many happy philosophers at the NPAPC

The British Postgraduate Philosophy Association is a volunteer organisation originally formed in 1997 as the National Postgraduate Analytic Philosophy Association (NPAPA). We are best known as the parent organisation behind the National Postgraduate Analytic Philosophy Conference (NPAPC), Britain’s best-attended and longest-running graduate philosophy conference now in its 11th year. No one knows what happened to the NPAPB...

History

In 1997, two Sheffield philosophy postgraduates Ewan McEachran and Simon Kirchin decided that a large, unthemed, national postgraduate conference was needed. Postgraduates — particularly philosophy postgrads — are by and large an isolated lot. It seemed an act of kindness, and maybe even necessity, to establish an event where students could meet their peers, discuss academic and non-academic topics of mutual interest, establish contacts and friendships, and return home invigorated and inspired as never before.

The first National Postgraduate Analytic Philosophy Conference (NPAPC) was held in Sheffield in 1997, and was such an outstanding success that it has since become an annual fixture. Unlike Glastonbury, NPAPC goes to a different university each year: for subsequent conferences we have travelled to Durham, Reading, Bristol, Cambridge, Warwick, York… The 11th NPAPC is to be held at the University of East Anglia in Norwich in July 2007. The aims for the NPAPCs remain largely unchanged from these early days: to provide a forum for presentation and discussion of quality postgraduate philosophy, and to foster contacts between students of different universities. It is usually a very friendly and refreshing event, with excellent papers from some of Britain’s top philosophy students, and lively socialising the rest of the time.

In 2000, the NPAPA was set up to co-ordinate the smooth running of NPAPCs and to ensure that essential know-how is passed down from year to year. The NPAPA was tremendously successful. Little did we know that this was just a chrysalis, and that a splendid new creature was about to emerge…

The Present

The BPPA as we know it today is the result of a fantastic amount of research, reflection and sheer organisational jiggery-pokery by the 2005-6 Executive Committee.

One of our first decisions following this period of creative self-reinvention was to expand our remit to cover all traditions in philosophy, and especially to bestride the increasingly blurry divide between the so-called Analytic and Continental traditions in philosophy (a recent discussion of this blurry divide appears on the Leiter Reports website). Accordingly, the BPPA now takes its aim to be the promotion of quality postgraduate philosophy of any stripe.

Another key initiative at this time was the launch of a series of exciting new Philosophy Masterclasses. This came after feedback from students at NPAPC that they wanted more postgraduate events in the calendar, more topic-specific opportunities, and a chance to spend quality time with leading academics in their field. We’re delighted with the success of the inaugural Masterclass and we continue to look for innovative ways to meet our members’ needs.

We have also spent some time reviewing our organisational structure. The main day-to-day running of the BPPA is handled by the Executive Committee, comprising President, Treasurer and Secretary. 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 various 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 the NPAPC and, now, of course, our Masterclasses. These teams change regularly — could you be on the next one?

Executive Committee

President

Geoff Ferrari (Oxford) (email)

Vice-President

Matt Lavery (UEA) (email)

Treasurer

Nigel Leary (Birmingham) (email)

Secretary

Fiona Roxburgh (UEA) (email)

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)

NPAPC 2007 Team

• Matt Lavery (UEA)
• Mark Gregory (UEA)
• Ryan Mays (UEA)
• Jamie Potter (UEA)
• Laura Cook (UEA)
• YY Yung (UEA)

Masterclass Team 2006-7

• Eva-Maria Duringer (York)
• Bob Clark (York)
• Steven Burton (York)
• Rachel Wiseman (York)
• Rob Dennis (York)

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.

Past Executive Committees

2006-7

President

Geoffrey Ferrari

Treasurer

Nigel Leary

Secretary

Briony Addey

2005-6

President

Mahlete-Tsige Getachew

Treasurer

Michael McElroy

Secretary the 1st

Robin Dennis

Secretary the 2nd

Steven Burton

2004-2005

President

Alix Cohen

Treasurer

Brian King

Secretary

Neil Sinclair

2003-2004

President

Jon Gorvett

Treasurer

Derrick Teo

Secretary

Constantine Sandis

2002-2003

President

Constantine Sandis

Treasurer

Dan Davies

Secretary

Derrick Teo

2001-02

President

Geraldine Coggins

Treasurer

Constantine Sandis

Secretary

Mark Day

2000-01

President

Mark Day

Treasurer

Geraldine Coggins

Secretary

Ewan McEachran

1999-2000

President

Ewan McEachran

Treasurer

Simon Kirchin

Secretary

Mark Day