Field Philosophy and Social Justice

Field philosophy is a method of philosophical practice. As such, it is open or neutral with regard to topic and content, to the social location of collaborators, and to the type of outcome or product that is its aim. With regard to its criteria, field philosophers may pursue philosophical collaborations in government, business, entertainment, religion, science, or other areas. In this paper, I respond to critiques of philosophers doing politically engaged work and then show that there are several reasons that field philosophy is strongly suitable for the pursuit of social justice. First, researchers with an existing interest in civic engagement and social justice will find field philosophy effective for achieving concrete goals. Second, social justice depends on ethical arguments, so there is an existing interest in incorporating philosophical perspectives. Third, field philosophers can draw on resources developed by feminist and racial justice scholars who have long theorized the association between academic practice and political engagement. And fourth, feminist and progressive inquiry develops insights into the functioning of social institutions. Cross-culturally, field philosophy is a research method that develops reflective participation in knowledge production and that supports academic engagement in decision-making for positive social outcomes, however, those are locally construed.