Reading Group Blueprints

Students are often dissatisfied with the selection of topics covered at their universities (see here and here for a taste of examples). Our review of 377 modules taught at the top 10 British departments (following THE) shows that only 3.8% focus on traditions other than the Western Analytical tradition, and 3.1% focus on topics related to class, colonialism, race and gender. As little as 13% of all modules taught contain more than a token amount of content related to those topics. Meanwhile, of all the modules devoted to a specific philosopher, a shocking 100% focuses on a person who was white and male.

We think that the students are right to be dissatisfied.

So, what do you do if a topic you want to learn about is not taught at your university? Start your own reading group! And if this sounds like a daunting task, we are here to help. Below, you will find ready-made Blueprints to help you create your reading group. Each one offers a set of resources, organised by topic and arranged into a consistent narrative, accompanied by a list of questions to guide your discussion.

We hope that these Blueprints will help you start your own reading group on a topic that interests you and fill the gaps left in your curriculum. Happy learning!

Used our Blueprints? Tell us what you think!

What is (not) taught?

See our research
(UK undergrad)
See our research
(Irish postgrad)
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How to run a reading group using our Blueprints?
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Choose your Blueprint

  1. Topic. Gather some friends and identify a topic you are all interested in. Will it be feminist philosophy? African languages? Postcolonial theory? You can see a list to choose from below.
  2. Time and Difficulty. Make sure you have the time to run your group. Remember that it will be harder to organise during holidays or exam periods. Equally, make sure to pick the right difficulty level. Some Blueprints are introductory and great for anyone, while others might be better suited for senior students or those who already know a bit about the topic. Note, you can also download each Blueprint as a PDF if you want an offline copy!
  3. Unfold! Click or tap the arrow below the Blueprint title. A general Introduction which will tell you what it is about and list any particular instructions. The Categories will indicate the range of issues covered. Below, you will find the main Content: the specific resources you will be looking at.

Run the group

  1. Organise. We recommend that you find a time for your group to meet every week to keep things consistent. The Content of a Blueprint is divided into weekly sections, with typically one text or video entry per section.
    • Some blueprints might have a different structure – don’t worry, it will all be explained in their Introductions!
  2. Read/Watch/Listen. Each entry has links that will take you to the resource itself. To guide you through, each entry includes additional useful notes and comments. Pay particular attention to the ones labelled ‘Study Questions’.
  3. Discuss. These Study Questions are designed to guide your discussion as you meet with your group. Remember – the questions will touch on topics of particular interest, but you might want to expand on them by asking your own questions and discussing points that interest you!

Share your thoughts

  1. Comment. If you like the texts or want to share the thoughts you had while reading and discussing them, you can leave us a comment! Every entry has a comments section at the bottom and we highly encourage you to use it!
  2. Share. We would love to hear your stories! Share your experience with us and other students around the world, post pics of your group, and remember to tag us on Bluesky, Facebook or Instagram.
  3. Get in touch. Don’t hesitate to write to us if you want to share your experience, recommend improvements, or just tell us what you liked best!