Philosophy in the Media

The lay public today is hungry for answers to big fundamental questions concerning free will, virtue, faith, & the nature of happiness. Philosophers are especially well placed to provide help if only (1) they were better trained and more experienced at translating their scholarly work into results that are more accessible, and (2) there was a reliable network for publishing such work. The Philosophy in Media project is designed (i) to build a community of philosophers who have the requisite training and experience and (ii) to establish a network that connects that community to media professionals who are both interested in and well placed to edit and publish it. At the heart of the proposal are three events for philosophers on writing and producing content for nonacademic media, featuring prominent media professionals. The first will be held in New York City in 2021, and will focus on op-ed writing and trade-book publishing. The second will be held in Chicago, summer of 2021, and will focus on audio journalism and video content production. The third will be held in Los Angeles, fall of 2021 and will focus on longform journalism and culture writing. In addition to media professionals, the workshop will include scholars from philosophy and adjacent fields experienced in public outreach. Those who participate in a workshop will have (i) at least two op-eds or a draft trade book proposal, (ii) 10 minutes of audio journalism, 6 minutes of video, or (iii) one piece of longform journalism or culture writing with a commitment to publishing/distributing the piece or pieces within a year of the end of the relevant workshop. We aim to have a long term impact of increasing by 10% the number of pieces in the media that covers a philosophical theme.