Philosophy: (many) threats and (some) opportunities

Philosophy is being hit hard by the decline in university funding, thanks in particular to the lack of a significant overseas student market and the reliance of many departments on a large number of individually small joint courses, which universities are keen to axe as a cost-cutting measure. One—admittedly modest—way in which the situation can be ameliorated, and which is working well at Leeds, is to offer bespoke teaching to university science and medical departments. Such departments want, and often need for accreditation purposes, to teach their students about (for example) ethics and sustainability, and they see the benefits for student engagement and employability in incorporating some relevant humanities teaching and assessment. So this is one way in which philosophy departments in particular, but perhaps humanities departments in general, might try to keep their heads above water. This article is published in the thematic collection ‘On recent closures and threats of closure in the Humanities and Social Sciences’, edited by Regenia Gagnier.