I Taught Philosophy in Prison — Here is How it Went

My prejudice was shattered at every corner

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In an unforgettable TED Talk, Jennifer Lackey, a philosophy professor at Northwestern University, shared her experience teaching in prison. Her talk left me both inspired and slightly deflated — after all, it wasn’t clear what I could do about it. I hadn’t heard of any similar initiatives in the UK, and I was a mere undergraduate student, lacking in teaching experience.

But I did make sure to keep an eye out for similar opportunities.

Fast forward a couple of years, and the opportunity finally came my way — it turns out that there is a similar project in the UK, called Philosophy in Prison, which aspires to bring philosophical education to prison inmates from all over the UK. I immediately signed up and, after passing their evaluation and completing the necessary training, I had the incredible experience of teaching in a prison for the very first time.

That day was an unforgettable mix of feelings: tension, anxiety, anticipation, curiosity, joy, pride, excitement to do it again.

Yet before I recount my experiences, I will begin by sharing what I take to be the key takeaways of Lackey’s inspiring TED Talk, outlining why bringing philosophy — and education in general — to prison…