The British Philosophical Association is delighted to celebrate the inaugural recipients of our new BPA Prizes.
These awards were established to recognise and promote the outstanding breadth, depth, and public value of philosophical work taking place across the UK today.
Philosophy flourishes in many settings: in universities and schools, in workplaces, in prisons, in museums and galleries, in literature, in public and policy contexts, and in creative collaborations with the STEM disciplines. Through these prizes, we aim not only to honour exceptional individual achievements, but also to highlight the collective strength and diversity of the philosophical community in the UK.
It is a particular pleasure, in this first year of the awards, to acknowledge the energy, imagination, and commitment represented by our prize winners. Their work exemplifies the continuing importance of philosophy in helping us think more clearly, critically, and creatively about the world we share.
On behalf of the Association, I offer my warmest congratulations to all of this year’s recipients. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to seeing the continuing impact of their work in the years ahead.
Professor Fiona Macpherson, President, British Philosophical Association
Teaching Philosophy in the Community
Dr Leonie Smith and Dr Jon Bebb – Philosophy in Prison
Nominated by Prof. Mary Margaret McCabe, FBA, FKC. “Leonie Smith and Jon Bebb have been delivering courses for Philosophy in Prison at HMP Stafford for four years; during some of that period they also ran courses at HMP Berwyn for vulnerable prisoners. They have made an extraordinary impact on the prison environment at Stafford and on the lives of the prisoners by a rich and thoughtful set of courses of philosophical conversation.”
Contribution of Research Outwith the Academy
Jointly awarded:
Dr James Chamberlain – work for Philosophy in Prisons
Prof. Tommy Curry – work on racial justice
James Chamberlain nominated by Prof. Mary Margaret McCabe, FBA, FKC. “James Chamberlain has been working with Philosophy in Prison for the last five years, and has made a major difference to our work, thereby having a huge impact on the lives of many people in UK prisons. His engagement with us began with a British Academy research project, Prison Voices, in which — having at first been appointed our Research Associate — he has taken a central role as convenor, contributor and editor.”
Tommy Curry nominated by Dr Takeshi Morisato. “His original contribution to philosophy has been the establishment of a new subfield and research paradigm in Black and Africana philosophy, called “Black Male Studies,” which draws upon social scientific empirical data and combines its insights with rigorous intellectual genealogies of concepts pertaining to racism, colonialism, and the Black experience.”
Philosophical Research – Early Career
Dr Chong Ming Lim – work on Commemorative Justice
Nominated by Dr Jules Holroyd. “In the past 5 years, Chong Ming has published a number of superb papers, and has a manuscript in preparation, on commemoration, civil disobedience, and strikingly, on the intersection of the two domains – looking in particular at forms of civil disobedience that may be directed towards problematic commemorations. Chong Ming’s work on commemoration is highly innovative: it advances novel concepts that help to understand and systematise philosophical engagement with commemoration.”
Public Communication of Philosophy
Prof. Lisa Bortolotti – public engagement and provision of online resources
Nominated by Dr Ema Sullivan-Bissett. “Since 2005, Lisa has organised philosophical events for the general public, initially as coordinator of the Royal Institute of Philosophy local branch at the University of Birmingham and subsequently in a personal capacity. She has consistently brought philosophical research into public spaces: contributing to the University of Birmingham’s Arts and Science Festival, participating in the Philosophy Matters campaign, and disseminating research through art exhibitions, film screenings with panel discussions, and talks at major events including the Hay Festival.”
Service to UK Philosophy (not by professional academic philosophers)
Thoughtful – providing philosophical education for children
Nominated by Emma Swinn MBE. “Thoughtful (formerly SAPERE) is the UK’s national charity for Philosophy for Children and Communities (P4C), working at the intersection of education, civic life, and public engagement. Its mission is to widen participation in philosophical thinking and dialogue, ensuring that philosophy is accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Through its work with schools, communities, policymakers, cultural organisations, and professional networks, Thoughtful has played a transformative role in embedding philosophy within UK educational and public life.”
Department of the Year
University of Sheffield – for its innovation and excellence
Nominated by Dr Jules Holroyd. “Philosophy at Sheffield has a longstanding reputation for combining academic excellence with friendliness. In practice, we see philosophy as a form of inquiry where community, fellowship, and collective flourishing are at the heart of what we do. A major achievement has been renewing and protecting our outstanding academic culture in the face of institutional adversity – through processes of structural change (from department to school), ongoing threats to jobs, related union action, including prolonged strikes and lockouts – and the tragic loss of two senior colleagues. We have done this by engaging in small and big ways of cultivating a community of learners and researchers who support one another, collaborate regularly, and raise each others’ ambitions.”
