Diversity is Not Enough: Promoting Inclusivity in Academic Philosophy

Graduate Student Council Panel Session, Eastern APA 2021

The Graduate Student Council of the American Philosophical Association invites proposals for a session exploring the topic of promoting and cultivating inclusivity and belonging in academic philosophy, to be held at the 2020 APA Eastern Division meeting, January 4-7, 2021,  in New York, NY.

*Note: The APA currently plans on having the Eastern meeting in-person. However, in the likely event that this is not possible the organizers will move this disucssion to an online format.* 

Recent efforts to promote inclusivity in philosophy have often centered upon diversity. While diversity is, of course, necessary for helping to cultivate inclusivity, our efforts must  go beyond diversity if they are to be effective and long lasting. More must be done. Without additional support and mentorship, or ways of ensuring that they are not only present, but meaningfully included, philosophers from historically underrepresented backgrounds may face a number of disadvantages and hardships, often making them less likely to succeed in the profession.  

The goal of this session is to discuss how we can make graduate programs in philosophy more hospitable to philosophers who come from underrepresented backgrounds. The profession of philosophy has much to gain from including the voices and perspective of philosophers from a diverse range of backgrounds, but it’s time that we start to seriously consider how the profession can offer such philosophers something in return.  

This GSC panel is a space for reflection, collaboration, brainstorming, and strategizing. This session aims to facilitate respectful and productive conversations on how to best cultivate and sustain inclusivity in academic philosophy, and the academy more broadly. 

Submissions: Proposals for talks of 15-20 minutes prepared for anonymous review should be sent to both: Arianna Falbo (arianna_falbo@brown.edu) and Heather Stewart (hstewa27@uwo.ca). In the body of the email, please include your name, institutional affiliation (if any), position (if any), and contact information. Please attach an anonymized abstract of up to 500 words describing the primary focus of your presentation and what you hope for the audience to take away from your presentation.  

Deadline: September 1st, 2020. 

Topics to be discussed may include but are not limited to the following: 

• Reflections on philosophy’s oppressive past (and present)  
• Inclusive pedagogy and navigating difficult topics in the classroom 
• Strategies for combating bigotry and harassment in professional environments (e.g., conferences, job interviews) and across other academic settings, both formal and informal 
• Support networks and advice for philosophers from marginalized backgrounds 
• Inclusivity and allyship, the role of allies and/or active bystanders 
• Incorporating multiple voices, and bringing diverse perspectives into the conversation in meaningful ways 
• Anti-Racism advocacy and activism in the academy 
• Inclusivity in light of the pandemic
• Intersectional approaches to inclusivity 
• Inclusivity and race, inclusivity and disability, inclusivity and gender identity, inclusivity and sexuality, inclusivity and socioeconomic status 
• Inclusivity, xenophobia, and strategies for supporting international graduate students 
• Structural policies and concrete efforts aimed at promoting inclusivity in departments
• How to start and effectively run a climate committee and/or climate survey 

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