As a student of philosophy hailing from India, I feel like 'yoga' and 'ahimsa' are the only words remotely related to Indian philosophy that have made it big on in global philosophical discourse. Women of colour are especially underrepresented in the field. I chose to centre my video on Lal Ded, a Kashmiri mystic, and her poetic Shaivite philosophy to bring to the forefront a newer version of Indian spirituality grounded in strong philosophical ideas. Winning the Diversity in Philosophy competition this year allowed me to be part of the annual Cumberland Lodge trip - which was an absolute treat. Spending a weekend with established and budding philosophers with varying interests and levels of experience was extremely enriching - and honestly just very, very fun. It gave me a chance to explore philosophy as an academic and research subject in more depth than I had before and made me ever more intrigued in the field.
Anoushka Sabnis, Philosophy, Politics and Economics student
05 November 2024
Winner announced for Diversity in Philosophy student video competition
Anoushka Sabnis has won the Department of Philosophy’s Diversity in Philosophy student video competition, a competition aimed to promote the visibility of underrepresented philosophers and to foster discussions around decolonising and diversifying philosophy.
First-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student, Anoushka Sabnis's video focused on Lal Ded, a renowned 14th-century Kashmiri mystic and poet, and illuminated her philosophical contributions.
Tzu Ching Hsu, a second-year Philosophy student, claimed the runner-up position with a video on Lao Tzu, one of the most influential ancient Chinese philosophers.
I am glad that I won the Philosophy Video Competition and that people liked my video. In this video, I introduced Lao Tzu and explained his philosophical thoughts on metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Most people would have no chance to be exposed to Asian philosophers, so I hope more people can be interested in those underrepresented thinkers through watching my video.
Tzu Ching Hsu, Philosophy student
The competition invited all philosophy students to create short videos about philosophers from underrepresented groups, encouraging participants to develop their communication and digital skills in the process. The winning video was showcased during the department's annual trip to Cumberland Lodge, celebrating the creativity and scholarship of its students.
Commendations were also awarded to Claire Quigley and Michael Hanold, both MA students in Philosophy, for their videos on Susan Sontag and al-Ghazali, respectively.
The entries were absolutely fantastic, demonstrating a rich and diverse knowledge of philosophical thinkers along with excellent skills in video design and philosophical communication. The winning video by Anoushka Sabnis explained complex philosophical ideas with impressive clarity and drew thought-provoking connections to contemporary issues in philosophy and beyond.
Dr Lucy McDonald, Lecturer in Philosophy and the Department of Philosophy’s diversity and inclusion lead
The competition underscores the department's commitment to increasing diversity in philosophical discourse and providing a platform for voices that are often marginalised in academic discussions.
In this story
Lecturer in Ethics