In 1997, two Sheffield philosophy postgraduates, Ewan McEachran and Simon Kirchin, decided that a large, unthemed, national postgraduate conference was needed. Postgraduates — particularly philosophy postgrads — are by and large an isolated lot. It seemed an act of kindness, and maybe even necessity, to establish an event where students could meet their peers, discuss academic and non-academic topics of mutual interest, establish contacts and friendships, and return home invigorated and inspired as never before.
Our first annual conference was held in Sheffield in 1997 under the name The National Postgraduate Analytic Philosophy Conference, or NPAPC. The first NPAPC was such an outstanding success that it became an annual fixture, although, unlike Glastonbury, it has travelled to a different university each year: recent venues include Durham, Reading, Bristol, Cambridge, Warwick, York... and many more. The aims for our annual conference remain largely unchanged from these early days: to provide a forum for presentation and discussion of quality postgraduate philosophy, and to foster contacts between students of different universities. It is usually a very friendly and refreshing event, with excellent papers from some of Britain’s top philosophy students, and lively socialising the rest of the time.
In 2000, an association was formed to co-ordinate the smooth running of NPAPCs and to ensure that essential know-how is passed down from year to year. The National Postgraduate Philosophy Association, as it came to be called was tremendously successful. Little did we know that this was just a chrysalis, and that a splendid new creature was about to emerge...
The Present
The BPPA as we know it today is the result of a fantastic amount of research, reflection and sheer organisational jiggery-pokery by the 2005-6 Executive Committee. One of our first decisions following this period of creative self-reinvention was to expand our remit to cover all traditions in philosophy, and especially to bestride the increasingly blurry divide between the so-called Analytic and Continental traditions in philosophy (a recent discussion of this blurry divide appears on the Leiter Reports website). Accordingly, the BPPA now takes its aim to be the promotion of quality postgraduate philosophy of any stripe.
Another key initiative at this time was the launch of a series of exciting new Philosophy Masterclasses. The idea for a Philosophy Masterclass series was inspired by feedback from students at NPAPC that they wanted more postgraduate events in the calendar, more topic-specific opportunities, and a chance to spend quality time with leading academics in their field. Our Masterclasses enjoy a rising reputation, and we continue to look for innovative ways to meet our members' needs.
Read more about the BPPA.
