New Delhi: Recognising the global impact of his work and ideas, the Society of Advancement of American Philosophy, or SAAP, has instituted the ‘Bhimrao Ambedkar Prize in Global Pragmatism.’
The organisation, established in 1973, made the announcement on 12 April, two days before Ambedkar Jayanti. SAAP works towards the advancement of scholarship and teaching in the diverse areas of American Philosophy.
The award honouring Ambedkar is for scholarly work that explores the interaction between ‘American Philosophy’ and ‘Thinkers’ in India, China, Greater Asia, the Pacific region, Africa and other countries that have remained understudied.
The annual award will be presented at SAAP’s annual conference, which usually takes place in March. It aims to encourage research on different cultures and traditions and their contribution to the refinement of American philosophy.
‘Ambedkar was a profound philosopher’
Tess Varner, the President of SAAP, calls the award “significant because it recognises the vitality of the American philosophical tradition as it expands through global engagement and influence.”
“This award will encourage more research into pragmatism’s engagement with other cultures—and into what American philosophers can learn from thinkers in China, India, Africa, and beyond,” said Scott Stroud, a member of SAAP’s Board of Directors.
The scholarly papers submitted to the annual SAAP conference are eligible for the reward. The funding for the prize will be provided by the Stroud family in memory of Herman Stroud, an American philosopher associated with pragmatism.
Ambedkar International Mission acknowledged SAAP’s commitment. Manoj Shambharkar, executive member, said, “We appreciate SAAP’s commitment to fostering scholarly excellence and expanding the horizons of philosophical research across the globe.”
“Dr BR Ambedkar was not only a jurist and social reformer but also a profound philosopher whose ideas reshaped modern Indian thought,” he added.
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Study of global pragmatism
A philosophical approach, global pragmatism is an extension of the core tenet of pragmatism. It focuses on action-oriented solutions that foster collaborations. It is an integral research direction in SAAP.
Global pragmatism traces the philosophy beyond the US, even though it started in America with thinkers like John Dewey, William James, Charles Peirce, Jane Addams, WEB Du Bois, and Richard Rorty.
The organisation has been dedicated to research and teaching in the diverse areas of American philosophy. Currently, they have around 400 members around the globe.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)