About SAAP
On this page, you'll find the society's statement, links to the Society's History, Officers, Constitution and Bylaws, and a list of Grants, Awards and Prizes presented annually.
Society Officers
Click on the following link for a list of officers.
Society History
Here (PDF, download) is a history of SAAP written by Beth J. Singer, Professor Emerita of the Philosophy department of Brooklyn college, City University of New York.
The Newsletter of the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy (going back to when SAAP was called "The American Philosophy Group," back in 1973) is now available online, via the Philosophy Documentation Center.
Society Bylaws and Reports
Bylaws for SAAP are here (web page)
Bylaws for SAAP are here (PDF)
Treasurer's
most recent report is here (PDF)
Treasurer's most recent grants report is here (PDF)
Society Statement
The purposes of the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy are:
- To promote interest and research in the history of American Philosophy
- To encourage original, creative work in the spirit of that tradition
- To provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas on American Philosophy
Awards and Prizes at the Annual Conference
There are now six awards and prizes given at the annual SAAP
meeting. A list of past
winners is here.
• Herbert Schneider Award
This award recognizes a career-long achievement of "distinguished
contributions to the understanding of American Philosophy."
Herbert Schneider
Award Recipients (.doc file)
• Douglas Greenlee Prize
This is awarded to the best paper presented at the annual meeting by
either a graduate student or a person holding a Ph.D. for no more
than five years. Eligible submitters should make explicit mention in
their submission that they wish to be considered for the prize.
• Ila and John Mellow Prize
This award recognizes excellence in advancing the American
philosophical tradition toward the resolution of current personal,
social and political problems. The Ila and John Mellow Prize of $250
is offered to the person whose paper is judged to be the best in:
-- developing the treasure house of methods and ideas beyond the
stage they are found in the classical works of American philosophy,
or
-- relating these ideas and methods to contemporary issues with a
view to enhancing our understanding of current problems or our
ability to resolve them.
The Prize is offered in the memory of Ila and John Mellow, parents of Shirley Mellow Lachs, whose sound common sense made them the embodiments of the practical philosophy of America, and is made possible through the generosity of John and Shirley Lachs.
• Joseph L. Blau Prize
This prize ($350) is offered to the author of the paper that makes
the most significant contribution to the history of American
Philosophy from colonial times to the recent present. The Blau Prize
is made possible through the generosity of Professor Peter Hare.
• The Jane Addams Prize
The Jane Addams Prize recognizes excellence in feminist scholarship
in American philosophy. It is awarded to the best paper presented at
the annual meeting on issues in feminist thought as they occur in
American philosophies, including their intersections with race,
ethnicity, class, sexuality, (dis)ability and age, etc.The prize is
open to panels as well as regular paper presentations. In order to
be considered for the prize as a panel, please submit the complete
papers of all the panelists.
• The Inter-American Philosophy Award
The Committee on Inter-American Relations will present the
Inter-American Philosophy Award to the best submitted paper
concerning Latin American, Latino/a, or indigenous philosophies
across the Americas that is presented at the Annual Meeting. The
Award includes a cash prize, and the winning paper will be published
in The Inter-American Journal of Philosophy.
• Young Public Philosopher Award
This award recognizes an early to mid-career philosopher in the
American tradition who exemplifies the best traits and practices of
American public philosophy, or who brings unique insights or methods
to broaden the reach, interaction, and engagement of public
philosophy with the wider public.
• The Alain Locke Award for Public
Philosophy
This award recognizes a philosopher, junior or senior, who
demonstrates excellence in engaged public philosophy about issues
important to disadvantaged groups or people underrepresented in the
academy or the public sphere.
A list of past award winners can be found here: http://www.american-philosophy.org/prizes.htm
SAAP Grant Program
The Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy Grant Program
Consistent with its mission and contingent upon available funding, the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy (SAAP) announces a grant giving program whose general purpose is to fund the expansion of SAAP into broader areas while yet maintaining the community values that have long characterized the society. This program seeks to reward creativity, especially those who can work towards bringing together people from different perspectives. We are striving for genuine pluralism, one that goes beyond lip service. We are, in a manner of speaking, looking to maintain our one while welcoming the many.
More specifically, we are inviting proposals of three sorts:
- Projects that will internationalize the society. This may includes grants for research, for travel, or for any type of project that either carries American philosophy to international perspectives, or brings international perspectives to American philosophy.
- Projects that will cross boundaries and that in general will lessen the natural insularity that is common to groups such as ours. These grants are intended to promote pluralism “on the home front.”
- Projects that support graduate student research in American philosophy. Graduate students are welcome to apply for funds, for example, to present papers on American philosophy at other conferences.
Depending upon the scope of the proposed project, these grants could serve as a good source for seed money to seek further funding.
Grant seekers need not be members of SAAP, though the grant itself must be one that is in accordance with our general mission of advancing American philosophy. Though it would certainly be preferred, it is not required that the grant recipient participate in our annual meeting. We do require, however, that upon the completion of the grant project, a report will be submitted to the SAAP Board of Directors.
All proposals for funding must include:
- A detailed description of the event or program with specific emphasis on its ability to not only advance American philosophy, but to do so in a manner consistent with the stated goals of this program. This should include description of how the event or program will have significance and impact that lasts beyond the event or program itself.
- A complete budget, including all projected expenses and all projected revenues and their sources.
- An explanation of how the results of the project will be reported to SAAP’s Board of Directors. This may be a simple written report, a finished product, or a session at the annual meeting.
Grants will typically range from $500 to $1000, though those amounts could vary depending upon the nature of the proposal. Proposals will be reviewed by a committee appointed by the President of SAAP in consultation with the Society’s Board of Directors. The Society’s Treasurer serves as an ex officio member of that committee.
These grants are made possible through the proceeds of the Herbert W. Schneider and the Peter H. Hare Endowment Funds.
Proposals should be submitted via email to Bill Myers, Treasurer, SAAP at bmyers@bsc.edu.
SAAP Graduate Student Travel Grants
The Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy gladly supports travel expenses for graduate students who get selected for the program for our annual meeting. The following PDF document has an explanation and application form which can be sent to Bill Myers, Membership Director.
SAAP Application for Graduate Student Travel Grant.rtf (.RTF file)
How To Make A Request For SAAP Co-Sponsorship Of Other Events In American Philosophy
Consistent with its mission and contingent upon its available resources, SAAP seeks to co-sponsor programs and events that advance American philosophy. Toward that end, SAAP accepts proposals from its members in good standing. Proposals should be directed via e-mail to Bill Myers, Treasurer, SAAP, at bmyers@bsc.edu and will be evaluated in a timely manner by SAAP’s Grant Committee.
All proposals must include:
- A detailed description of the event or program with specific emphasis on its ability to advance American philosophy. This should include description of how the event or program will have significance and impact that lasts beyond the event or program itself.
- A complete budget, including all projected expenses and all projected revenues and their sources.
- An explanation of how the members of SAAP can and will be involved in the planning of the event or program, and how members of SAAP can participate in the event or program itself.
Please note: The amount of award is dependent upon the availability of funds. Generally, awards for co-sponsorship are limited to $2000. Larger grants will be considered for extraordinary opportunities, contingent, of course, on the availability of funds.
Past Awards:
$2000 for the 2007 Royce/James Conference at Harvard
$500 for graduate student presenters at the Royce/James Conference
$300 for this fall’s William James Graduate student Conference at Yale in honor of John E. Smith
$500 for the 2007 Summer Institute in American Philosophy