Thinking Space
our Work
Approach
Drawing on philosophical methods and concepts, Thinking Space stimulates, supports and sustains public philosophy projects – especially within communities facing disadvantage.
Our philosophers support children and adults from diverse backgrounds to explore the issues that matter most to them, in partnership with the organisations that know them best.
Our participants and partners develop their critical and creative thinking alongside the confidence needed to communicate more clearly.
Ethos
Philosophy is often understood as a canon of great ideas, but our emphasis is on philosophy as an activity, something we practise together. With the right support, the educational and social benefits of philosophising are open to everyone and we are committed to creating the conditions for this to happen.
In a climate of significant educational, social, economic and environmental stress, philosophical conversation might seem like a luxury rather than a necessity, but we see things differently. When we think better, we learn better and we live better too. It all starts by making space to think.
Founder
Grace Lockrobin
BA (Hons) MA, PhD Candidate
Founder, MD, Senior Practitioner
Grace is a philosophy teacher, trainer, facilitator, scholar and advocate. Over the last fifteen years – through her many projects in the places people live, learn, work and play – she has enjoyed philosophical conversations with thousands of thinkers of all ages, backgrounds and levels of experience. Through her workshops, training, talks and writing, she has shared her thinking and practice nationally and internationally.
Working in the community, she founded Thinking Space in 2008. She is also an accredited trainer with SAPERE and Dialogue Works, a specialist with The Philosophy Foundation, a contributor to P4C.com and a board member of the European network SOPHIA.
Working in academia, she is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Leeds where she runs ‘Philosophy Exchange’ – a project that brings together philosophy students, teachers and children in weekly philosophical enquiry. She also consults with other UK universities, helping to set up similar programmes. Grace is currently finishing a PhD in Philosophy at UCL Institute of Education where she writes on ethics, education and aesthetics, funded by an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) doctoral award.
Grace lives in Sheffield with her husband and two young sons.
People
Amanda Fulford
Amanda is our Patron and an honorary member of Thinking Space having collaborated on various public philosophy and academic projects, including our latest book.
She is also a Professor of Philosophy of Education at Edge Hill University.
Ellie
Hart
Ellie is a Philosopher, Project Manager, Facilitator and Trainer for Thinking Space and is one of our founding members.
She previously studied philosophy as a postgraduate and went on to work in Public Engagement at the University of Bristol.
Emma Worley
Emma is a Non-Executive Director of Thinking Space guiding our vision and strategy.
Emma is also Co-CEO
of the educational charity the Philosophy Foundation, work that earned her an MBE in 2020.
SOpHIE COLLINS
Sophie is a Philosopher, Project Manager and Facilitator, joining Thinking Space as a founder member.
Having studied philosophy at university, she now also works in sex and relationships education for Book and in policy at University of Salford Students' Union.
Aaron Meskin
Aaron is our Patron and an honorary member of Thinking Space, having collaborated on various public philosophy and academic projects including our latest book.
He is also a department Head and Professor of Aesthetics at the University of Georgia.
Partners
