Minorities and Philosophy

Vanderbilt is proud to have a local chapter of Minorities and Philosophy (MAP) for the past four years. Founded in May 2017, MAP is a student-run organization with approximately 80 chapters in philosophy departments in the U.S. and abroad. Each chapter aims to examine and address issues of minority participation in academic philosophy.

Vanderbilt’s chapter hosts a variety of events, including panels, reading groups, coffee hours, and informal conversations. We encourage undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty to participate. The events are forums for members of our community to discuss the challenges facing minorities in academic philosophy, work on areas of philosophical study that address the experiences of socially or philosophically marginalized groups, and engage with philosophical texts written by minority authors or from minority perspectives. Long term, we aim to promote inclusivity, solidarity, and the celebration of difference in the philosophy department.

Join our Facebook group to connect with us.

Leadership

Co-Chairs

Our leadership is comprised of four equal co-chairs, all graduate students:

Andrew Burnside

Kelly Cunningham

Alyssa Tudor

Peiying Yang

Faculty Advisor

Diana Heney, Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Upcoming Events

Check back for updates on programming.

Past Events

Spring 2024

Women in Bioethics
Featured speaker: Dr. Ellen Wright Clayton. Co-sponsored by MAP and the Undergraduate Bioethics Club for a panel discussion on student and faculty research in bioethics.

The Trap of a ‘History of Philosophy’: a Reflection on Power and Structural Change.
Speaker HuaPing Lu-Adler, followed by commentary from Vanderbilt graduate students Alyssa Tudor and Katherine Martha.

Fall 2023

Getting In and Getting Through
A Q&A with Vanderbilt’s MAP chapter on pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy.