Bill E. Lawson, PhD
University of Memphis
Professional Development Assignment
2011-12
The awarding of the Professional Development Assignment permitted
me to participate as a Fulbright-Liverpool Research Scholar in
Liverpool, United Kingdom. I was awarded a six-month fellowship to do
research, to teach, and to engage in dialogue with scholars at the
University of Liverpool and across the UK. The focus of my research was
the British philosopher John Locke. I was concerned to situate Locke’s
writing and political involvement in the politics of 17th century England.
My active research included reviewing John Locke’s correspondences
and papers at the Bodleian; I examined Locke’s letters and other minor
works for their connection to the issue of forced labor and the Irish; in
particular, two collections of Locke’s papers: papers relating to
theology, religion and philosophy, and papers relating to trade and the
colonies. I found interesting bits of discussion in these papers. I traveled
to Oxford twice during my time in Liverpool to review the Locke papers.
I was also appointment as a visiting professor of philosophy at the
University of Liverpool. This appointment gave me full faculty status
and afforded me the opportunity to teach and interact with graduate
students at the University. The philosophy department had on the
books a graduate teaching module on conflict that was offered in
conjunction with the Irish Studies program. The chair of the Philosophy
department Gillian Howe asked if I would be interested in co-teaching
this module with her; it would be the first time the module was taught.
The Master’s level module was designed for first year graduate students
in both philosophy and Irish studies.
I gave six presentations while in the UK:
1. “Obama and Pragmatism” Stapleton Lecture, Department of
Philosophy, University of Liverpool, September 12, 2011; faculty and
students in attendance number between 20-25. This presentation was
helpful as I completed work on my article “Of President Barack H.
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Obama and Others: Public Policy, Race-talk, and Pragmatism” European
Journal of Pragmatism and American Philosophy, Forthcoming
2. “Celebration Rev Peter Thomas Stanford (1859-1909)” Highgate
Baptist Church, Birmingham UK October 18, 2011..
3. “King and Bell on the Ending of Racism: The Aporia of Hope,” Social
Science Seminar, Koc University, Istanbul Turkey, October 27, 2011;
4. “Martin Luther King and Derrick Bell on Racism in the United States”
Edinburgh University Students’ Association, The University of
Edinburgh, Edinburgh Scotland, November 1, 2011.
5. “King and Bell on the Ending of Racism: The Aporia of Hope”
University of Hull WISE Institute, Hull UK, November 9, 2011
6. “John Locke, Slavery in the Americas, and Ireland,” Centre for the
Study of International Slavery, University of Liverpool, December 15,
2011. This was my wrap-up talk of my Fulbright experience.
I returned to the UK March 5- 8, 2012 to present a paper to a general
audience and lead workshops classes with graduate students and
faculty at University College Cork, Cork Ireland and to present a paper at
The Clinton Institute for American Studies’ International Conference
“Ireland and African-America,” Dublin, Ireland March 10th 2012.
I will be returning to Ireland this fall (2012) to present again at
University College Cork (UCC) and University College Dublin (UCD). I am
also taking one of our graduate students, Corey Barnes. He will present
a paper at UCC on the work of Frederick Douglass.
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