Message from the CEO

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! This year has been another tough one, and we all deserve a good break.  

I am very much looking forward to 2023, our Centennial year. The theme for the year is Celebrating Australasian Philosophy - Bridging the Past, Present, and Future. We kicked off the celebrations with the event: 100 years of Australasian Philosophy - Reflecting on the Past, held at University of Melbourne 1-2 December, as part of the inaugural CHASS Congress. This was a highly successful event which showcased distinctive themes in Australasian philosophy including: Feminist Philosophy and Australasian philosophy: Impact and contributions, Revisiting the analytic/continental divide in the 21C; AJP: Lessons from the past and prospects for the future; and, Philosophy and Psychology: Parallels, divisions, and the Australasian contribution. Each session comprised a panel discussion preceded by special papers by Catriona Mackenzie, Genevieve Lloyd, Antony Eagle and Frank Jackson. It was great to see so many familiar, as well as new faces. It was also a special pleasure to work with the Australasian Society of Continental Philosophy in jointly hosting the session on the analytic/continental divide in the 21 C. 

In July, we will be holding our centenary conference in central Melbourne, hosted by the Dianoia Institute and School of Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University. We have a great line up of keynote speakers and will be organising some special events. We hope it will be big! More information below. 

The centennial year will close with a bookend event - Reflecting on the Future of Australasian Philosophy, to be held in late November/early December 2023. The Association and its committees will also be hosting and supporting other philosophy events across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore throughout the year. If you are planning to host a philosophy event in 2023 and you would like the AAP to promote it, please email us with the details (admin@aap.org.au). In addition, we are curating a series of videos, interviews, podcasts and public facing pieces promoting Australasian Philosophy and philosophers, and launching a new open access journal in 2024.

Sadly this year we farewelled: Geoffrey Brennan, Graham Nehrlich, Robert Nola, Brian Scarlett and Janna Thompson.

2023 AAP CONFERENCE

The 2023 AAP Conference will be held in-person in Melbourne hosted by the Dianoia Institute of Philosophy and School of Philosophy, Australian Catholic University (ACU), from Sunday 2 to Thursday 6 July inclusive. The conference theme is: 100 years of Australasian Philosophy - Bridging the Past, Present and Future.

Keynotes are: Jacqueline Broad (Monash University), Rae Langton (University of Cambridge), Melissa Merritt (University of New South Wales), Katie Steele (Australian National University) and Krushil Watene (Massey University). The Presidential Address will be delivered by Graham Oppy (Monash University).

Registration and a call for papers and streams will open in February 2022.

COVID-19 Notice: If circumstances demand, we will be able to move the in-person event to a fully online conference.

To enhance access and inclusion, and in light of continuing restrictions on international travel, the AAP conference committee has decided to offer a separate online conference a few weeks following the in-person event. Registrants of the in-person ACU event may attend any of the online conference sessions at no additional cost. Dates and keynotes will be confirmed early next year.  

2023 AAP Prizes – call for entries

Annette Baier Prize - The Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP) offers an annual prize of $500 for an outstanding philosophical paper or book chapter published by an Australasian woman during the previous calendar year. 
The closing date for entries is February 28, 2023, 6.00pm AEDT.
Eligibility, Judging Criteria and online entry form available HERE: https://aap.org.au/Annette-Baier-Prize

AAP Prize for Innovation in Inclusive Curricula - The Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP) offers an annual monetary prize of $500 for the development of innovative approaches to teaching philosophy.
The closing date for entries is February 28, 2023, 6.00pm AEDT.
Eligibility, Judging Criteria and online entry form available HERE: https://aap.org.au/Inclusive-Curricula-Prize

AAP Media Prize - The Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP) offers an annual prize of $500 for the best philosophical piece(s) published by a professional philosopher in the popular media in Australasia during the previous calendar year. 
The closing date for entries is February 28, 2023, 6.00pm AEDT.
AAP Media Prize Eligibility, Judging Criteria and online entry form available HERE: https://aap.org.au/AAPmediaprize

AAP Media Professionals' Award - The Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP) offers an occasional award of $500 to journalists and other media professionals for excellence in the presentation of philosophy or philosophical issues in the media in the previous calendar year. 
The closing date for entries is February 28, 2023, 6.00pm AEDT.
AAP Media Professionals' Award Eligibility, Judging Criteria and online entry form available HERE: https://aap.org.au/MediaProfessionalsAward

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. The total fund for 2023 is AUD4000 - no successful proposal will be allocated more than 50% of the Fund. 

The closing date for applications is February 28, 2023, 6.00pm AEDT

Full details including Eligibility and Application HERE: https://aap.org.au/conference-fund

Journals

Australasian Journal of Philosophy – Issue 100.4

Current Issue: Volume 100.4 

Subscribe to content alerts

https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rajp20/current

Follow on twitter: @AustralJPhilos

Australasian Philosophical Review – Issues 5.3 & 5.4 

Volumes 5.3 and 5.4 with lead articles by Craig Callender and Kwang-Loi Shun will be released shortly: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/RAPR20/current

Activities and Events

Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001

The AAP made a joint submission with the Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy to the Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001.

Our submission will be published on the Department of Education's site after the consultation has ended, see HERE: https://www.education.gov.au/about-us/corporate-reporting/information-publication-scheme-ips/public-reviews-and-consultations

Postgraduates – launch of Sagacity

Sagacity, an AAP postgraduate run magazine was launched in early December. Sagacity is a place for topical, public philosophy, and platform for postgraduates to write and engage with important issues.

The winner of the competition launch is Tom Coghlan's article 'On Doing It and Playing It: Demystifying the Murky Morality of Videogame Play'. Head to sagacitymagazine.com.au to read this article, as well as an article on public philosophy by the editors!

Make sure to subscribe for more content over the coming months!

Southern Summer Logic Day 2023

The Australasian Association for Logic is hosting a Southern Summer Logic Day by zoom on  Thursday, 12 January 2023 at 23:00:00 (UTC)/Friday, 13 January at 10AM (AEDT), to celebrate the UNESCO World Logic Day. The website of the event is https://sites.google.com/view/aalogic/world-logic-day/world-logic-day-2023.

Event organisers: Guillermo Badia (University of Queensland, Australia), Nick J.J. Smith (University of Sydney, Australia), Shawn Standefer (National Taiwan University, Taiwan), Koji Tanaka (ANU, Australia)

Eurekamp Oz!

Registrations are now open for the Summer 2023 edition of UWA School Holiday Program, Eurekamp Oz!. Eurekamp Oz! is a collaboration of the University of Western Australia and PEiPL Ltd and is a Children’s University Learning Destination. The activities are adapted from the original Canadian Eurekamp program co-founded in 2009 by PEiPL director, Professor Rob Wilson. 

Eurekamp Oz! Summer 2023 edition, offers six programs, each running for a different age range across the second and third weeks of January 2023. 

Please contact Dr. Kaz Bland (Kaz.Bland@uwa.edu.au) or Professor Rob Wilson (Rob.Wilson@uwa.edu.au) if you have any questions or would like to learn more.

Honours and Awards

Ethics for Future Humanity

The Humanities Aronui Medal for research or innovative work of outstanding merit was awarded to Professor Timothy Mulgan FRSNZ from University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau for his contributions to moral philosophy, philosophy of religion and political philosophy. For more information visit: https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/research-honours/2022-research-honours-aotearoa/2022-humanities-aronui-medal/

2022 Royal Society Marsden Fund

$647K Awarded to Professor Simon Keller (PI) of Victoria University Wellington Te Herenga Waka for the project: ‘Do you have a healthy mind? The philosophy of mental health’

More here: https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/funds-and-opportunities/marsden/awarded-grants/marsden-fund-awards-2022/

Newly elected Fellows 2022 to the AHA and ASSA

Congratulations to Deborah Brown, Wayne Hudson, Richard Menary and Anik Waldow who have been elected as Fellows 2022 of the Australian Academy of Humanities, and Victoria McGeer, who was elected as a Corresponding Fellow. In addition, Fred D’Agostino was elected to the Academy Council.

Congratulations to Rachel Ankeny who was elected a Fellow 2022 of the Academy of The Social Sciences.

Jobs – call for applications

Australian Catholic University - Level D and Level B/C Teaching/Research positions 

https://candidate.aurion.cloud/acu/production/career/vacancies/2913561679395499~1/edit

Applications close:  22 January 2023

Office Closure

The AAP office will close 20 December 2022 and will re-open on 16 January 2022. 

As CEO I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all the hard work done by those who give time to the activities and running of the Association, including, but not limited to:

President: Graham Oppy

Patron: The Honourable Pamela Tate SC 

Board: Lisa Ellis, Jorge Fernandez, Jeanette Kennett, Simon Keller, Stephen O’Brien, Anthony Rodwell-Ball

Executive: Tracy Bowell, Jacqui Broad, Sandra Field, Eliza Goddard, Katrina Hutchison, Weng Hong Tang, Krushil Watene

Committees:

Impact of Philosophy: Fred Kroon (Convenor); Miriam Bankovsky; Dalia Nassar; Paul Oppenheimer; Belinda Prakhoff; Andrew Withy

Higher Education: Dirk Baltzly (Convenor); Fiona Jenkins; Jakob Hohwy; Simon Keller; Jeremy Moss; Michael Pelczar

Status of Women in the Philosophy Profession: Louise Richardson-Self (Convenor); Jennifer Ang Mei Sze; Gopika Gurudas; Suzy Killmister; Justine Kingsbury; Glenda Satne; Anne Schwenkenbecher 

Diversity: Adam Hochman (Convenor); Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky; Nicholas Drake; Ushana Jayasuriya; Christine Abigail Lee Tan

Philosophy in the Community: Rob Wilson (Convenor); Deborah Brown; Nicolas Bullot; Philip Cam; Matthew Hammerton; Vanessa Schouten; Kara Vaughn

Media: Sam Baron (Convenor); Antonia Case; Stephen Chadwick; Leigh Dayton; Tim Dean; Laura D’Olimpio; David Rutledge; Patrick Stokes; Ming Tan

Conference: Nicholas Munn and Joe Ulatowski (Convenors)

Postgraduate: Brigitte Everett (Convenor); Cohen Brown; Jimmy Lewis-Martin; Megan Moss; Lucia C. Neco; James Vlachoulis; Danny Wardle

Undergraduate: Guillermo Badia (Convenor); Ben Blumson; Patrick Girard; Caroline West; Stephanie Collins and – Will Cailes; Lavinia Picollo (Undergraduate Journal Liaison); and – Riley Sanders, James Cafferky, Anna Day, Thomas Spiteri (Undergraduate members)

Centenary: Eliza Goddard; Nicholas Munn; Graham Oppy; Joe Ulatowski

Journals: Stewart Candlish, Antony Eagle, Eliza Goddard, Stephen Hetherington, Jeanette Kennett, Graham Oppy

Editorial Team of the AJP: including Editor Antony Eagle, Deputy Editor Melissa Merritt, Jessica Pohlman (Editorial Assistant) and the team of Associate Editors, and the Editorial Team of the APR: including Managing Editor Graham Oppy and Associate Editor Eliza Goddard.

AAP Secretariat: Eliza Goddard, Nigel Curtain Smith & AAP social media – special thanks to Ming Tan!