Babrak Ibrahimy

I am a part-time Associate Lecturer at the University of Derby, where I primarily teach philosophy to foundation year students. It is a chaotic course aimed to get students to critically engage with the world around them. My own work is in moral and political philosophy, with a special interest in early 20th century political thought. I have continued interest in Nietzsche’s work that I dare not write about. Recently, I have also picked up an interest in classical rhetoric after teaching a module on the subject, which has now become part of skills based exercises to students. My other part-time employment is in civil service, working at the Cabinet Office in London.

As likely many of us interested in philosophy as a way of life, my interest grew from persistent personal questioning – what is the relevance of philosophy in our daily tasks, our routines, our relationships? Where are Arendt’s concerted action, or Schmitt’s friend/enemy? There are of course no definitive answers; however, that is also the beauty of philosophy. More than other disciplines, philosophy is not about answers, it is about questions – and not just questions, but the right kind of questions. It is for this reason that, in my teaching, I turn to skills and critical engagement that are enabled and enhanced through study of philosophers and philosophy.