About the Workshop

The 6th Biennial 2023 workshop will be held June 11-13, 2023 at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. The 2023 Keynote Speaker will be Yolonda Wilson (Saint Louis University).

Mentees will be assigned a networking group consisting of a mentor and four fellow mentees working in similar fields. Each mentor will provide written feedback on the workshop papers of each mentee and will participate in discussions at the workshop. Mentees will take responsibility for providing written feedback on the papers of their group members and will serve as discussion leader and first reader for one paper and second reader for another. In the long term, group members will actively monitor the progress of each other’s careers, offering philosophical feedback and, in the case of the mentors, advice about professional development along the way.

Why Attend?

Women and non-binary people are underrepresented in the profession of Philosophy, and many explanations have been offered for this fact. Two recent special issues of journals that address this issue include a virtual issue of Hypatia and a special issue of the Journal of Social Philosophy. Although there are several causes of this imbalance, good mentoring is clearly important for success in academia, and philosopher of other genders do not receive as much of it as cisgender men do. The Mentoring Project aims to build long-term mentoring relationships among eminent senior and junior women and non-binary people in the field of philosophy.

Eligibility:
Any woman or non-binary person entering or holding a faculty (pre-tenure or contract) or postdoc position in Philosophy at a college or university,  or who is unaffiliated, within 10 years of completing their PhD, and continues to engage with professional philosophy can apply. Since the workshop is aimed specifically at those who are navigating academic life after their PhD (whether on the tenure-track, in a postdoc or contract position, or independently), we require that applicants have successfully defended by the date of their submission. We would especially like to encourage applications from members of groups underrepresented in Philosophy.

Cost:
There is no charge for participation in the workshop, but we expect mentees’ home institutions to cover the cost of their transportation, room, and board. We recognize and deeply regret if the cost of attending the workshop is prohibitive. While The Mentoring Workshop operates on a limited budget, we invite those without institutional support to contact us directly, so that we can offer support and advice as best we are able.

Accessibility:
The Mentoring Workshop is committed to making the workshop completely accessible to disabled philosophers. All meeting, dining, and guest rooms are wheelchair accessible. Philosophers needing ASL interpreters or assistive technology are asked to communicate such needs on the form.

For questions or comments, please send an email to kori@marcsandersfoundation.org.

Check out the 2023 program HERE.