Between 2024-2029, the BSHP will offer two Predoctoral Scholarly Activity Awards per year. Candidates, who must be predoctoral students, may apply for up to £500 to fund activities related to the history of philosophy, which will support their academic and professional development.
Bengü Demirtaş is now studying for a PhD at Bilkent University. In 2016 she won an award to attend the Joint Session and visit archives in London and Oxford.
The BSHP Predoctoral Scholarly Activity Award enabled me to travel to the U.K. to attend the 100th Joint Session of the Aristotelian Society and the Mind Association at the University of Reading, where I presented my paper, “Sexual Consent as a Standing Normative Relation in Enlightenment Philosophy and Marriage Law.” The award also supported a four-day archival research trip to the British Library and the Bodleian Libraries. During my archival research I was able to survey Mary Wollstonecraft’s and Elizabeth Montagu’s letters with a focus on the concept of genius, and expand upon my dissertation through engagement with historical sources. I am happy to say that both experiences significantly contributed to my scholarly development. The conference provided an opportunity to engage with scholars working in related areas and receive feedback on my research. Similarly, the archival research gave me access to primary materials related to my dissertation and allowed me to deepen the historical dimensions of my project. Together, these experiences expanded my research opportunities, strengthened my engagement with the broader scholarly community, and enabled me to develop professional relationships that have continued beyond both the conference and my archival study. I am deeply grateful to the BSHP for their support in enabling this formative and rewarding scholarly experience.
Find out more about the scheme and apply here.
