Philosophy of Technology as Philosophy of Education

Networked technologies play a central organisational role across contemporary societies, and ought to be an urgent focus for the forms of clarificatory, critical, and creative thinking that good philosophical education fosters.

The premise for this PhD project is that the situation just described presents an urgent opportunity to reinvigorate our understanding of the role of philosophical education from school level onwards (both primary and secondary). This project will draw upon and consolidate work conducted with local schools by the supervisors for a project called "Localising Philosophy, Democratising Technology". It will involve critical engagement with established figures in the philosophy of education canon (e.g. Dewey, Bourdieu and Freire), and result in recommendations for curriculum reform in Scotland, centred on Curriculum for Excellence themes including Citizenship and Technologies. Potential themes to be explored by this PhD (to be determined in discussion with the successful candidate) include:

1.) whether and how ICTs can foster better habits of citizenship;
2.) how art education and ’community of philosophical inquiry’ (COPI) methods can help mitigate asymmetries of knowledge and social/cultural capital relating to the distribution of technological expertise across contemporary networked societies;
3.) technologies and mimetic behaviour;
4.) technologies as sites for intergenerational justice/understanding/knowledge exchange.

For further information on the “Localising Philosophy, Democratising Technology” project: https://www.localisingphilosophy.com/
For informal enquiries about the project, contact Dr Dominic Smith ([Email Address Removed])
For general enquiries about the University of Dundee, contact [Email Address Removed]


QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must have obtained, or expect to obtain, a first or 2.1 UK honours degree, or equivalent for degrees obtained outside the UK in a relevant discipline.

English language requirement: IELTS (Academic) score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 5.5 in each of the four components). Other, equivalent qualifications will be accepted. Full details of the University’s English language requirements are available online: www.dundee.ac.uk/guides/english-language-requirements.


APPLICATION PROCESS

Step 1: Email Dr Dominic Smith ([Email Address Removed]) to (1) send a copy of your CV and (2) discuss your potential application and any practicalities (e.g. suitable start date).

Step 2: After discussion with Dr Smith, formal applications can be made via UCAS Postgraduate. When applying, please follow the instructions below:

Apply for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Philosophy: https://digital.ucas.com/coursedisplay/courses/b137039b-3353-5841-1a8e-8faa10acedef. Select the start date and study mode (full-time/part-time) agreed with the lead supervisor.

In the ‘provider questions’ section of the application form:
- Write the project title and ‘FindAPhD.com’ in the ‘if your application is in response to an advertisement’ box;
- Write the lead supervisor’s name and give brief details of your previous contact with them in the ‘previous contact with the University of Dundee’ box.

In the ‘personal statement’ section of the application form, outline your suitability for the project selected.