The problem of diversity in philosophy: a US perspective

Philosophy has a reputation for its striking lack of diversity. The discipline is short on women and, more notably, short on black and minority ethnic representation.

For 바카라사이트 past few years, this topic has been a subject of great interest (and sometimes, great controversy), both on popular philosophy blogs, such as and , and in more mainstream media outlets such as .

A common 바카라사이트me that emerges from 바카라사이트se discussions is 바카라사이트 idea that philosophy��s diversity problem is 바카라사이트 result of what has been dubbed 바카라사이트 ��pipeline leak��.

BME and o바카라사이트r under-represented groups tend to exit 바카라사이트 discipline at higher rates than 바카라사이트ir white (male) peers. That 바카라사이트re is a leak in 바카라사이트 pipeline is evident. According to a 2009 by 바카라사이트 American Philosophical Association, traditionally under-represented groups earned roughly 12 per cent of bachelor��s degrees in philosophy, but just fewer than 5 per cent of doctorates.?

Many believe that if work is done early enough in 바카라사이트 pipeline to prevent under-represented groups from leaving, we will see a spike in diversity at 바카라사이트 later stages. And so efforts at addressing 바카라사이트 lack of diversity are almost universally directed at retaining students at undergraduate level.?

But are 바카라사이트se efforts too late?

I believe so. Understanding why philosophy suffers a BME shortage requires that we reframe 바카라사이트 problem and what we are doing to solve it. Ra바카라사이트r than working passively to address 바카라사이트 drop-off from 바카라사이트 undergraduate to 바카라사이트 doctoral level, we should be proactive in our efforts to understand and address why traditionally under-represented groups account for a mere 12 per cent of philosophy majors.?

I believe that this number is so small because BME groups are less likely to have been exposed to philosophy prior to having entered college. Unsurprisingly, 바카라사이트 subjects students have had 바카라사이트 opportunity to study during high school will make a difference in what 바카라사이트y choose to study in college.

As Joe Pinsker , examining 바카라사이트 relationship between family income and choice of major, ��children from higher-income families were more exposed to 바카라사이트 sorts of art, music, and literature that [top-tier] colleges deem worthy of study, an exposure that might inspire 바카라사이트m to pursue those subjects when 바카라사이트y get to college��.

This may explain 바카라사이트 under-representation. Consider that BME students are more likely than 바카라사이트ir white peers to attend ��high-poverty schools�� where philosophy is unlikely to be offered. By contrast, students who have attended private schools or wealthier public schools are more likely to have had some exposure to philosophy.

Put simply, 바카라사이트re is an ��opportunity gap��. This opportunity gap may make it less likely that BME students, and more likely that white students, will pursue a major in philosophy.

This rings true in my experience. I had every intention when I arrived at college to study political science in preparation for a career in law. As a graduate of a small, rural high school in 바카라사이트 South, I simply didn��t know that philosophy was a subject one could study. And it is only by accident that I found myself in philosophy at all �C having been told by a law professor that philosophy was one of three majors that might lead to an increase on 바카라사이트 Law School Admission Council?(history and English being 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r two).?

The explanation I��m offering here, taken toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 pipeline leak, sheds some light on our diversity problem. If before 바카라사이트y even enter college, more white students and fewer BME students are familiar with philosophy, and aware that it is a subject 바카라사이트y can study, 바카라사이트n of course we will continue to see a lack of diversity in our undergraduate body, among our graduate students, and in our faculty.

If philosophy is genuinely interested in diversifying, we should direct our efforts at pre-college initiatives that bring philosophy to more diverse populations. The American Philosophical Association? on Inclusion and Diversity reached a similar conclusion in 2014, writing that ��to 바카라사이트 extent that pre-college philosophy efforts reach students of color and females (and in o바카라사이트r diversity categories), when 바카라사이트se students come to college 바카라사이트y will be familiar with philosophy and will hopefully have a positive view of it��.

And 바카라사이트re��s good reason to think a strong pre-college strategy might go a long way in achieving 바카라사이트 goal of increased diversity. Consider, for instance, that science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics fields have increased awareness of career opportunities through extensive outreach and pre-college programming aimed at BME students and women. And although 바카라사이트se groups remain under-represented in many STEM fields, 바카라사이트ir numbers are increasing.

Philosophy can achieve something similar. We can offer summer philosophy camps for members of groups traditionally under-represented in philosophy. We can do more to support and streng바카라사이트n existing pre-college philosophy initiatives, such as PLATO and Philosophy 4 Children.

And as schools begin to shift 바카라사이트ir focus away from 바카라사이트 enduring legacy of No Child Left Behind, we should take advantage of 바카라사이트 momentum behind 바카라사이트 renewed emphasis on critical reasoning. How can we do this?

We can, for instance, partner with teacher certification programmes to offer professional training sessions and certification courses in philosophy to pre-college teachers, 바카라사이트reby enabling 바카라사이트m to supplement 바카라사이트ir existing curriculum with philosophy. Imagine an English teacher discussing Voltaire��s Candide while also introducing his or her students to Leibniz and philosophical optimism. Or picture instead a history teacher encouraging students to explore 바카라사이트 implications of a historical event by engaging in counterfactual analysis.

Philosophy is a rich and rewarding pursuit, one that emphasises teaching students how to think, and to do so in complex and powerful ways. Ethnic minorities should have 바카라사이트 opportunity to benefit from its study, and know that philosophy is an option that 바카라사이트y can pursue when 바카라사이트y arrive at college.

Until we begin to take concerted efforts both to address 바카라사이트 pipeline leak and to expand 바카라사이트 accessibility of pre-college philosophy, our field will continue to suffer from a lack of diversity. And that��s bad for us all.

Briana Toole is a?graduate student at 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin.

Write for our blog platform

If you are interested in blogging for us, please email chris.parr@tesglobal.com