The Philosophy Club at the University of North Alabama began meeting in Spring 2016. Prior to the pandemic, the club’s regular membership consisted of about thirty students. This number was significant given the size of our program: we currently offer a minor in philosophy but no major. Club activities ceased in Spring 2020, and attempts to reinstate the club in 2021 and 2022 were largely unsuccessful. A small group of students remained interested in philosophy, but that interest did not translate into running a club.
In Fall 2023, during my first semester at UNA, I conducted a survey of my students to gauge interest in restarting the club. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was substantial desire to have such an organization on campus. My students’ responses provided some helpful takeaways about what they value in campus life, and what needs philosophy might help meet.
First, I found that my students were most interested in having a space to work through their own ideas. Out of several proposed club activities, students indicated that “big idea discussion groups” appealed to them the most. A few specifically expressed interest in discussing religion, noting that they’d never had a place where they could question the subject before. In contrast, they were least interested in reading groups or extended studies of a single text or historical figure.
Second, students clearly wanted opportunities for social connection. Several noted that they were interested in hearing multiple perspectives on various topics, and discussing their differences respectfully with others—even if no one’s mind was changed at the end of the day.
Finally, students expressed interest in finding philosophy in non-traditional places. There was overwhelming support for the idea of “philosophy movie nights,” and several suggested that the club attend local events that might be of philosophical interest.
The club held its first meeting of Spring 2024 in late January. Twenty students came to grab some free pizza and share ideas for the club’s future meetings. With guidance from our faculty, they established discussion ground rules and a club constitution. They also designated five officer positions—President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Marketing Director—and individuals interested in running for these positions began working on campaigns. At least two students were interested in each position, further highlighting the strong desire for a robust philosophy club at UNA.
Our current model is to meet once per week. Our next meeting will be a movie night, where we’ll watch the film Spirited Away. The following week we will discuss the movie’s philosophical themes.
Kayla Bohannon
Kayla Bohannon is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Alabama. Her primary research interests are in social philosophy, and she frequently teaches undergraduate courses in ethics and political philosophy.
