Departmental Research Opportunities

As part of the research community in the Department of Philosophy, you are invited, and encouraged, to attend research events including the Staff Work in Progress (WiP) seminar and the Philosophy Colloquium series. There are also a number of formal and informal reading groups and other discussion groups that you are encouraged to attend where appropriate for your own research interests. All of these events are opportunities to engage with fellow researchers at all levels and stages of their careers, which can stimulate your own thinking and help you make contacts to enhance your PG researcher career.

Email announcements will be sent about these activities.

Research activities in the Department are organised under three research sections covering broad areas of philosophy (History of Philosophy, Practical Philosophy, and Theoretical Philosophy) under which more specific research groupings fall. Each research section has a section leader. The Department has a number of formal research clusters, and one research centre (CHiPhi, joint with Leeds and Sheffield), each of which falls under one of these sections and reports to the section leader. Less formal and occasional research activities (such as reading groups) are also recognised in the Departmental Research Committee structure. 

Research Clusters are regularly meeting research groups, convened by a cluster leader, which encourage researchers with common or overlapping interests to work together. They provide opportunities for colleagues to share and receive detailed comments on work in progress, including grant and impact ideas in progress, to hear from invited speakers, and to develop research collaborations. Clusters include PGRs supervised by members of the group where there is relevance of the PG researcher’s work to the focus of the group.

From time to time our department organises conferences around special themes or speakers. These events are announced in advance on the department website, social media, and posters in the department and on email. There may be opportunities for you to get involved with organisational details, thus gaining valuable practical experience for future employment in either academe or other sectors.