The DRL exists thanks to the continued work and involvement of the members of the philosophical community. Since 2015, nearly 60 people have actively volunteered for the DRL by adding new content, reviewing public contributions, creating specific resources, organising events, engaging in grant project work, conducting research, helping manage the project, or actively promoting the DRL at events and online. The volunteers take on different roles, depending on their availability and the current project needs. Whenever possible, grant money received is offered to volunteers to support their work.

I want to volunteer!
  • Because of my work with the DRL, I was appointed to the EDI committee of my School and was offered the opportunity to collaborate on an Athena Swan Award application. I was also given leeway in curriculum design and was able to influence the Sub-Honours and Honours course offering. — Clotilde Torregrossa (she, her)
  • I have co-authored a blueprint and organised a seminar. The team’s support has been great, and both of these experiences have intellectually enriched me. More importantly, the DRL provides the right platform for philosophy to engage with issues outside the ambit of what is assumed to be the usual concerns of the anglophone canon. — Suddhasatwa Guharoy (he, him)
  • I am passionate about promoting philosophy which takes all human voices into account, and understand my work with the Diversity Reading List an important practical commitment to the project of humanizing philosophy. — Björn Freter (he, him)
  • I was very interested in the project and wanted to leave a mark by becoming a volunteer. I found it very rewarding. I felt that with my little contribution we were all moving forward towards a more inclusive academic environment. — Sara Peppe (she, her)
  • I came to the DRL with an idea to create a student-facing section. Soon I started an AHRC project to interview students and audit Philosophy syllabusses across the UK – and now we have the Reading Group Blueprints! — Anne-Marie MacCallion (she, her)
  • In addition to helping us understand and come to have a better moral judgement on pressing moral, social, and political controversies, social and political philosophy that is informed by a wide range of lived experiences and struggles can enrich mainstream political philosophy. — Ten-Herng Lai (he, him)
  • I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an important project. Diversifying our syllabi is one best things we can do for students and for the profession as a whole. — Chris Blake-Turner (he/him or they/them)
  • It’s been fantastic watching the project grow from strength to strength. My research focuses on some brilliant female philosophers, and that definitely inspired me to get back into philosophy. I am proud to be part of a project that aims to make that world a much more inclusive place. — Alison Hill (she, her)
  • Designing a Reading Group Blueprint was incredibly rewarding – it felt like designing my own course – and it was great to think about putting together a set of readings that incorporate a number of diverse perspectives while still being internally linked with one another. — Andreas Sorger (he, him)

Getting funded

Many of our volunteers have received funding for their work with the DRL. Funded projects ranged from expanding the List by adding a large batch of entries in the volunteer’s AOS, through creating a Reading Group Blueprint on a topic they are passionate about, to organising events and engaging in research projects.

You could also benefit from one of our grant projects, or develop a project of your own in association with the DRL. We will support you in doing so by sharing ready application templates and successful past applications, connecting you with previous grant winners, and mentoring you throughout the process.

Professional development

The graph below shows the results of our 2022 volunteer survey. As you can see, collaborating with the DRL can help you substantially develop your own academic practice!

Moreover, volunteering and engaging in funded projects can help you boost your career prospects. All of our volunteers reported proudly listing their involvement with the DRL on their CV’s. As Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are increasingly high on the agenda of many universities, the experience you will gain while working with the DRL might give you an advantage in applying for jobs and developing your career.

I want to volunteer!