Philosophy Conferences and Calls for Papers

We live at a time when it has become increasingly difficult to break free from what Herbert Marcuse and others have called “the given.” Art has long served as a form of critical reflection and a source of alternative visions. At the same time, art has served to reinforce the status quo. In the situation we confront today, what role might art play in enabling us to think, imagine, and go beyond “the given”? Today, as we struggle to understand and contend with various forces of social reaction, exclusion, and oppression, it seems timely to ask what role art might play in renewing critical consciousness and social transformation.

We invite submissions of proposals for papers, panels, workshops, poster sessions, performances, and other types of conference contributions on all topics related to radical philosophy and praxis from philosophers and theorists inside and outside the academy in areas including but not limited to ethnic studies, women’s studies, social sciences, and literary studies. We encourage contributions from graduate students and from those who are often excluded from or marginalized in traditional academic disciplines and professional organizations, including people of color, gays and lesbians, persons with disabilities, and poor and working-class persons. We also encourage submissions that challenge standard conference presentation format and that emphasize collective inquiry and interaction between participants and audience. Some preference will be given to those which reflect the conference theme.

Presentation sessions will be two hours. Individual papers should be limited to 3000 words, for a 20-25 minute presentation. Panels will not be scheduled with more than three participants. Participants are eligible for one presentation only. In your proposal submission, please include: 1. Name, contact information, and affiliation of presenter(s), 2. Title of presentation paper(s), panel, workshop, poster session, performance, etc., 3. Abstract of 250-500 words for each individual presentation paper; and/or, 4. Detailed description of panel, workshop, etc., including siting, audio-visual, and other requirements. 5. Let us know if you are willing to serve as chair for a panel or workshop that needs one.
Send your proposal by March 8, 2008 to peterama@drexel.edu; or Peter Amato, RPA ‘08, English & Philosophy Department, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104. More information and accommodations at: http://www.radicalphilosophy.org/.