Careers in academia: Retracing the steps of Hegel, Žižek and Marx

Philosophy Society has recently started with a series of academic lectures, which are equally challenging for an audience and for young lecturers looking to pursue a career in academia. Not only does the society provide an extensive spectrum of activities and discussions to enrich students, but taking part and/or contributing to a thriving and resourceful society as this one also looks positive in any application or resume.

This year, Phil-Soc is sporting an all-new manifesto lead by co-presidents Dino Jakušić and Olivia D’Cruz, along with their dynamic Executive team.

The society not only offers students academic support sources and talks concerning all strands of the subject, but also lobbies a friendly atmosphere for members to meet like-minded individuals. In the past two years, the society has focused on weekly socials and provided support for the Logic 1 module regarding the course taught at Warwick.

However, this year, the dedicated Exec team is working hard to expand the activity within the society, featuring weekly student talks, increasing the support for more modules and “we are planning some bigger events, such as a mini-conference on mental health and bringing some external speakers to Warwick later in the year,” Dino explains. The series of talks reflect the new-found zest of the society.

Dino Jakušić is a third year undergraduate student studying Philosophy and is the current co-president of Phil-Soc, in charge of supervising talks and running the support sessions. He has always had the desire to organise weekly talks ever since joining the society in his first year, however he explains that this is the first year in which the society managed to find enough people interested in speaking. The main reason for putting on these speeches was to facilitate Philosophy students to develop their ideas through an exchange of teaching and listening to their colleagues.

However, he adds: “We tend to ask our speakers to make their talks clear enough so they can be understood by people without specialist or general knowledge of philosophy and hence will engage students from other departments to consider certain philosophical problems which they otherwise would not think about.”

Phil-Soc is an open and welcoming society, also to non-members who have an interest in embarking upon building up their philosophical knowledge. The talks always take place on a Thursday evening at 6.45pm, taking place in SO.13 in the Social Sciences building.

Luke Beesley is a Philosophy postgraduate student in his first year with a particular interest in political philosophy. Luke presented a talk on Karl Marx, and when asked where his interest sprung from to develop a talk on this topic, Luke comments that he comes from a very politically-conscious family, in which all his immediate family members either are or have been active in the labour movement and political parties.

Luke further mentions that he was really satisfied with the audience’s reactions, as his talk seemed to provoke people into thoroughly considering the criticisms they wanted to make and developed a lot of discussion in the Q&A session. A further speaker, Clara Hiskey, a postgraduate research student, agrees, claiming that the considerable amount of questions which were raised at the end of the talk showed that her speech on Hegel and History had been well-understood and had provoked a lot of interest. “The great thing about doing a talk for the Philosophy Society is that students aren’t afraid to give their opinion and raise their doubts because it’s all about discussing ideas amongst peers.”

Clara developed an interest in this topic when she learnt about Hegel’s theory of tragedy in an undergraduate module, and then explored the area in much more depth in her dissertation. “Hegel offers us a fascinating way of viewing the Greeks and understanding the movement of history. Philosophical receptions of history (and especially antiquity) can offer us a new and profound way of thinking about a different time,” she said.

The first year postgraduate student Danny Smith held a talk on Lacanian psychoanalysis, aiming to bring his listeners closer to a topic which is often slated for being obsolete. “It is more interesting and complex than it often gets credit for, and I think dismissing the topic is a little over-hasty. If you listen to a thinker like Žižek, you’ll be amazed at the relevance and importance of his observations – psychoanalysis is more relevant than ever!” Ultimately, his audience did ask interesting and challenging questions.

When asked what Dino, Luke, Clara and Danny most enjoyed about studying Philosophy and being a member of the society, the common reply was the gripping agony and ecstasy that philosophy can simultaneously cause an individual to feel. Luke elaborates: “What inspires me about philosophy is the constant challenge it presents to people. Philosophy is both the building of systems in which we can understand the world around us, and their being pulled apart. In other words, philosophy gives you three problems for every one you think you’ve solved! God knows it’s frustrating, but in the best possible way.”

Dino also emphasizes how it is the feeling of bewilderment that you are left with by certain questions, keeping the thinker completely lost in contemplation.

Upon posing the big question concerning what the four want to do with their degrees and life after Warwick, Danny, Luke and Dino are quite unanimous in their plans, all wishing to eventually pursue a PhD in Philosophy. While Luke also envisions himself as a researcher in the labour movement, and Dino hopes to get accepted to do a Research Masters (MPhil) in Philosophy, it is Clara who keeps us guessing, mysteriously stating she is still “undecided what the future holds”.

Well, if that isn’t philosophical enough folks, I don’t know what is.