First of all, let me say what a pleasure it is to have the opportunity to come to China and teach at BNUZ. It is still relatively unusual for people from the UK to visit China, work here and become acquainted with its culture first-hand. So I feel excited and privileged to do just that whilst also being able to teach – something which I enjoy a great deal. It''s said that a happy life is getting paid to do what you enjoy; so this probably explains why I''m happy here!

I should tell you a little about myself. So first a little bit of personal biography, and then a bit about my professional background. I was born in London but have lived for most of my adolescent life in Winsford, Cheshire. Winsford is in the north-west of England near Manchester and North Wales.

After completing my schooling, I went to teach English in Toya-ko, Japan. Toya-ko is in the northernmost island of Japan, Hokkaido, and is a small, rural village. I think it was here that I really gained my interest in other cultures and in teaching. At just 18 I was quite young to have such a degree of freedom and responsibility; however, it was an opportunity I relished and took full advantage of. In many ways, I hope to do the same here!

Upon returning from Japan, I studied Philosophy and Politics at Warwick University which is just to the south-west of central England. Although I enjoyed my studies, I was keen to work. I moved to Brighton, which is in the south of England, and began working for a company which owned a large number of pubs and bars in the area. Over the ten-year period of living in Brighton, I was the marketing manager for the bar company; I ran a cocktail bar myself; and, I worked for an IT firm as a project manager.

As much as I enjoyed my time in Brighton, I found myself slowly returning to the philosophy I''d left behind ten years before. Taking a momentous decision at the age of 30, I left Brighton and returned to university – Durham University, this time – to study for an MA in philosophy. And I haven''t looked back: I completed my PhD the year before last and have been lecturing and tutoring at Durham last year.

Philosophically, I came to specialise in aesthetics and the philosophy of art – my PhD was on the philosophy of Critical Theorist, Theodor Adorno and his aesthetic theory. However, recently my interest in aesthetics has broadened out to a general interest in the core philosophical areas: epistemology, and metaphysics. I am quite unusual in philosophical circles insofar as I have an interest in two, traditionally opposing, approaches to philosophy: analytic and continental philosophy. Indeed, part of my current research work involves bringing thinkers and methods together from these two quite exclusive philosophical camps.

Whilst I enjoy my philosophical research, I have consistently enjoyed the challenge and rewards of teaching. Furthermore, I do not think that teaching is just a matter of imparting knowledge. Particularly in philosophy, where discussion is crucial to the development of one''s own ideas, the interaction that we have with students is important for our own thinking and research. I also happen to think that philosophy is an enjoyable activity and I try to convey that in my lessons. I try to foster an engaged, informal style which encourages students to participate, feel relaxed and engage with the content of the lessons. I hope to bring the same enthusiasm to my classes in BNUZ.