AAP Newsletter September 2021
• Message from the AAP CEO Stuart Brock
• Events
◦ Australasian Postgraduate Philosophy Conference – call for papers
◦ 2021 Australasian Association of Philosophy Philosothon
◦ Eugenic Thinking in Australasia – link to recordings
◦ AAP Conferences
◦ Alan Saunders Lecture – link to recording
◦ 2021 AGM – Elected Office Bearers & Minutes
• AAP Prizes and Grants
◦ 2022 Postgraduate Conference Fund – call for applications
◦ Prize Announcements
▪ Annette Baier
▪ Innovation in Inclusive Curriculum
▪ Media Prize
▪ Media Professionals’ Award
▪ Postgraduate Presentation Prize
▪ Undergraduate Poster Prize
• AAP Committee news: social media
◦ Integration and Implementation Insights: A community blog providing research resources for understanding and
acting on complex real-world problems
◦ Philosophers' Cocoon blog entry by Nicholas Drake
• Philosophy Camps – Philosophical Engagement in Public Life (PEiPL)
• Jobs: calls for applications
◦ Associate Professor/Professor in Philosophy and Ethics - University of Tasmania
◦ Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics - University of Tasmania
◦ Lectureship in Philosophy at the University of Melbourne
Message from the AAP CEO Stuart Brock
The Australasian Association of Philosophy will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2023. I am looking forward to celebrating it with you all in a little over a year.
The AAP’s primary strategy in its five-year Strategic Plan (2020-2024) is to “Celebrate the Centenary of the Association and use the Centenary to advance the promotion of the breadth and depth of philosophy, the exchange of philosophical ideas and to provide benefit to the members.” The Board, Executive and Operating Committees have all been focussed on delivering on this aspiration over the last few years, and I am confident that it will be a year to make us proud.
The main event, unsurprisingly, will be the annual conference. I am delighted that the Australian Catholic University (ACU) will host the conference in 2023. The ACU campus is in the heart of Melbourne, with facilities capable of accommodating a large number of delegates as well as being in close proximity to some of Australia’s best restaurants, cafes and bars. I am hoping that by 2023 the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic will be over and that it will be safe enough for us all to come together to mark the occasion, to enjoy one another’s company and to engage in philosophical conversation in person. But for those who can’t make it, we now have the capacity and ability to give a quality parallel online experience for those who want to join in from around the globe.
In addition to the main conference, the AAP will be promoting numerous events across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. We are currently curating a list of events that will be featured over the year. I encourage you to talk to your Head of Department/Programme to discuss any ideas you might have for hosting an event in 2023. I meet with Heads on a number of occasions throughout the year and we will be looking for ways we can support you in those endeavours.
The Centenary and Conference theme will be Celebrating Australasian Philosophy: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future. To learn more about what the AAP will be and has been doing to celebrate the centenary and to advance the objects of the Association, please take the time to engage with our Strategic Plan. If you have any comments or suggestions about how to action any of it, I encourage you to email them to admin@aap.org.au.
Link to the Strategic Plan:
Events
Australasian Postgraduate Philosophy Conference – Call for papers
The 2021 APPC conference 2021 will be held online 20-21 November hosted by University of Wollongong. Organising committee:
Lucia C. Neco; Jimmy Lewis-Martin; Megan Frances Moss; Danny Wardle
Further information and the call for papers can be accessed here: philevents.org/event/show/90877.
2021 Australasian Association of Philosophy Philosothon
The 2021 Australasian Association of Philosophy Philosothon (AAPP) was held online on 28-29 September.
15 schools from across Australia, in junior and senior divisions, participated in two days of enthusiastic discussions about big ideas in four Community of Inquiry topics: Can we know really different other minds?; “Is “cultural appropriation” a term that helps in efforts to respect peoples and cultures?”; “Do parents have an obligation to create the best child they can?”; and, “Is knowing yourself the first step to knowing anything at all?”. In addition, a series of philosophical talks were held: Professor Deborah Brown (UQ) in conversation with Professor Rob Wilson (UWA) on: What is philosophy good for and other questions about living a philosophical life; Professor Peter Godfrey Smith (USyd) on COVID19 & Lockdowns; and, Dr Luke Zaphir (UQ) on How to Make Good Arguments.
‘Philosophical inquiry led by the next generation of Australian thinkers plays an important role in the shape that our society will take. There are not just urgent social issues – climate change, human displacement, economic development and equality – but the full range of topics that philosophers have thought about that are fair game here. Philosothons provide a glimpse of the real quality of philosophical thinking that has been developing in our schools, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to see and listen to you as you put philosophy to work at this year's AAP Philosothon.‘ Introduction to the AAPP from Head Judge Rob Wilson
Results
Years 7/8: 1st Lauren Shinfield - North Sydney Girls High School (NSW), 2nd Alison Francis - St Peters Girls (SA), 3rd Oliver Surling - Scotch College (WA)
Year 9: 1st Rebecca Stephen - North Sydney Girls High School (NSW), 2nd Bronte Parkin - St Andrew's Cathedral School (NSW), 3rd Alvie Iley - St Peters Girls (SA)
Year 10: 1st Ann Chalakkal - Loreto College Ballarat (VIC) 2nd Ned O'Keefe - St Andrew's Cathedral School (NSW), 3rd Angus Mott-Howell - Yeronga State High School (QLD)
Years 11/12: 1st Holly Wallman-Craddock - St Peters Girls (SA) 2nd Ella Uhlmann - North Sydney Girls High School (NSW), 3rd Chloe Johnston - Loreto College Ballarat (VIC)
Overall school: 1st North Sydney Girls High School (NSW), 2nd St Andrew's Cathedral School (NSW), 3rd St Peters Girls (SA)
AAP Most Promising Philosophers: Rebecca Stephen (Year 9) North Sydney; Kavinraj Punitha Kaanthan (Year 11) Willetton.
The AAP Philosothon is overseen by the AAP Philosophy in Community Committee: Prof. Rob Wilson (UWA and convenor); Assoc Prof. Markos Valaris (UNSW); Dr Matthew Hammerton (SMU); Kara Vaughan (UQ); Prof. Deb Brown (UQ); Dr Vanessa Schouten (Massey); and, Dr Nicolas Bullot (CDU). Key organisers of the AAPP : Dr Kaz Bland (Manager of the Philosothon) and Montgomery Campbell. Thanks to the Students, Teachers, Facilitators and Judges who participated and gave their time and expertise over the two days.
Eugenic Thinking in Australasia
A series of two-hour, public panels exploring eugenic thinking in Australasia, past and present were held on 3, 10, & 14 September 2021. Recordings are now available.
Panel 1: Eugenics and Indigenous Australasia. Panelists: Joanne Faulkner Lynette Russell, Peter Read, chaired by Jane Lydon: youtu.be/yoDDyouKSSQ
Panel 2: Immigration, Borders, Children, Citizens. Panelists: Luara Ferracioli, Matt Lister, Tim Calabria, chaired by Ruth Balint: youtu.be/NLMMxUnKBug
Panel 3: Eugenics, Technologies, and Disposable People. Panelists: Rob Wilson, Jane Carey, Rob Sparrow, chaired by Ruth Wallace. youtu.be/QbE3TE9uZuM
Organised by Jane Lydon and Rob Wilson. Proudly sponsored by PEiPL, the Australasian Association of Philosophy, and the University of Western Australia in coordination with From Small Beginnings. A contribution to Phase 1 of a global anti-eugenics project commemorating the centenary of the Second International Congress on Eugenics, Dismantling Eugenics: A Convening.
2 0 2 1 A A P C o n f e r e n c e
The 2021 AAP conference took place from 6-15 July, on Tuesday-Thursday of each week. The conference was hosted by University of Waikato and organised by the AAP Conference Committee: Nick Munn (Waikato) and Joe Ulatowski (Waikato). Technical support was provided through CETTaL at the University of Waikato, including pre-conference training sessions for presenters and online support during papers.
The conference was well attended with over 150 papers scheduled across the two weeks and more than 260 attendees. Three special sessions were also run: a panel on alternative academic careers featuring Kylie Bourne, Steve Curry, Clare McCausland, and Giles Cox (organised by the convenors of the AAP’s Impact of Philosophy Project: Neil Levy (Macquarie) and Fred Kroon (Auckland)), a workshop on online teaching by Nick Munn and a session with keynote speaker, Peter Godfrey-Smith, for undergraduates.
Planning is well underway for the 2022 AAP Conference to be hosted by ANU, the dates are Monday 4 July- Thursday 7 July. In addition to the face-to-face conference, planning for an online conference is also underway, to take place either the week before, or after, the face-to-face conference.
The 2023 Centenary Conference of the AAP will be held in Melbourne, hosted by Australian Catholic University
Alan Saunders Lecture
The 2021 Alan Saunders Lecture was presented by Stephen Gardiner on the topic ‘Climate Crisis & Institutional Denialism: Is it Time for a Global Constitutional Convention for the Young & Other Future Generations?’.
The lecture was presented as part of the AAP Conference and was broadcast by the ABC on Monday 16 August, 8 pm on RN’s ‘Big Ideas’. The podcast is available here:
abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/alan-saunders-lecture---stephen-gardiner
The 2021 AGM was held online on Sunday July 4. The following people were elected to Office Bearer positions.
Elected Office Bearers 2021 – 2024
Board
• Ordinary Member: Professor Simon Keller (Victoria University of Wellington)
• Independent Member: Mr Adam Holloway
Executive
• Executive Director Singapore: Dr Sandra Field (National University of Singapore)
• Executive Director Australia: Professor Richard Menary (Macquarie University)
Conveners of Operating Committees
• Conference Committee Co-convenor: Dr Joe Ulatowski (University of Waikato)
• Diversity: Dr Adam Hochman (Macquarie University)
• Postgraduate Committee: Mr Jimmy Lewis-Martin (University of Wollongong)*
• Status of Women in the Philosophy Profession: Dr Louise Richardson-Self (University of Tasmania)
* 1 year nomination, Ex officio nomination from the Australasian Postgraduate Steering Committee.
Dirk Baltzly (University of Tasmania) was elected to the role of AAP President 2021-2022.
We thank the outgoing members of the Board: Petrina Coventry (Independent Member) and Antony Eagle (Ordinary Member); of the Executive: Mike Pelczar (Executive Director Singapore); and, Convenors of Operating Committees: Krushil Watene (Diversity) and Danny Wardle (Postgraduate).
The minutes of the AGM can be accessed here: aap.org.au/members/AGMs
AAP Prizes & Grants
2022 AAP Postgraduate Conference Fund - call for applications
The AAP Postgraduate Conference Fund is created to support conferences, workshops, seminars, and other similar events on philosophical topics that are organised by postgraduate members of the Association. Such events can be directed at an audience of philosophers or at a wider public. Applicants must submit a proposal to the Association which includes a description of the proposed conference, a draft budget, Department declaration of support and nomination by a Faculty sponsor. In addition, Faculty sponsors should provide a brief confidential evaluation of the proposed conference. Applications will be evaluated and ranked by an Evaluation Panel on their philosophical merits, and funding from the Fund will be distributed in line with these rankings. Applications Close: Friday November 12, 2021, 6.00pm AEDT.
Full details including Eligibility and Application: aap.org.au/conference-fund
Prize Announcements
Annette Baier Prize
2021 Annette Baier Prize
Jessica Whyte - University of New South Wales, for the paper: ‘Calculation and Conflict’. South Atlantic Quarterly, 119(1):31-51.
2020 Annette Baier Prize
Talia Morag - University of Wollongong, for the paper: “Comparison or Seeing-As? The Holocaust and Factory Farming." In Morality in a Realistic Spirit : Essays for Cora Diamond, Andrew Gleeson and Craig Taylor (eds.). London: Routledge.
aap.org.au/Annette-Baier-Prize
Innovation in Inclusive Curriculum Prize
2021 Innovation in Inclusive Curriculum Prize
Rachael Brown - Australian National University, for the unit: Science in Society: Ethics, Public Policy and Scientific Practice
2021 Highly Commended: UQ Critical Thinking Project, project manager Claudio Mazzola, for the unit: Effective Thinking and Writing
2020 Innovation in Inclusive Curriculum Prize
Ten-Herng Lai - Australian National University, for the unit: Advanced Topics in Philosophy: Disobedience, Dissent, Resistance, and Rebellion
aap.org.au/Innovation-in-Inclusive-Curricula-Prize
Media Prize
Eleanor Gordon-Smith for the podcast Little Bad Thing ethics.org.au/littlebadthing
aap.org.au/AAP-Media-Prize
Media Professionals Award
Joe Gelonesi, Manager of Arts, Religion and Ethics at the ABC
aap.org.au/Media-Professionals-Award
Postgraduate Presentation Prize
Mitchell Barrington - Australian Catholic University, for the paper: ‘Ignoring the Improbable'
Short list: Riley Harris - University of Adelaide, ‘Weak Comparability’; Madeleine Shield - University of Queensland, ‘Can we Force Someone to Feel Shame?’; Brandon Yip - Australian National University, ‘The Social-ideal Account of Shame’
aap.org.au/Postgraduate-Presentation-Prize
Undergraduate Poster Prize
Georgia Fagan - University of Sydney, for the poster: ‘The Compatibility of Feminism and Violent Pornography’
2021 Commendations: Will Cailes - Monash University, ‘Repugnance, Transitivity and Satisficing’ and Benjamin Cramer - University of Sydney, ‘Praise & Blame: Their Role in Distributed Moral Actions’.
aap.org.au/Undergraduate-Poster-Prize
AAP Committee News – Social Media
Integration and Implementation Insights: A community blog providing research resources for understanding and acting on complex real-world problems - i2insights.org
An interesting blog recommended by the AAP Media and Philosophy in the Community Committees as a potential venue for philosophers. Their most read post is on philosophy: A guide to ontology, epistemology, and philosophical perspectives for interdisciplinary researchers: i2insights.org/2017/05/02/philosophy-for-interdisciplinarity
Philosophers' Cocoon - blog entry by Nicholas Drake
AAP Diversity Committee member, Nicholas Drake, PhD student at Australian National University, has published the first entry in the Cocoon's new series, Non-Traditional Paths into Philosophy, a series of guest posts by people who entered academic philosophy later in life or otherwise took a non-traditional path into the field:
Philosophy Camps - Philosophical Engagement in Public Life (PEiPL)
Next week PEiPL (Philosophical Engagement in Public Life) will kick off two new Eurekamp Oz! philosophy holiday camps for kids, Imagineering and Oceans 21, in Perth. Based at the University of Western Australia, these camps provide children 5-15 with an immersive, interactive philosophical experience. For details, check out peipl.net/eurekampoz
Jobs – calls for applications
Associate Professor/Professor in Philosophy and Ethics - University of Tasmania
Applications close Sunday 11:55pm 17 October 2021.
Further details, including the position description, are available at:
careers.utas.edu.au/cw/en/job/496408/associate-professorprofessor-in-philosophy-and-ethics
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics - University of Tasmania
Applications close Sunday 11:55pm 17 October 2021.
Further details, including the position description, are available at:
careers.utas.edu.au/cw/en/job/496410/senior-lecturer-in-philosophy-and-ethics
Lectureship in Philosophy at the University of Melbourne
Applications close Thursday 11:55pm 21 October 2021.
Further details, including the position description, are available at:
jobs.unimelb.edu.au/caw/en/job/906470/lecturer-in-philosophy
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