Questioning ‘Western Philosophy’: Philosophical, Historical, and Historiographical Challenges
Conference, 28-30 April 2023, University of Oxford Call for Abstracts. Deadline: 30 October 2022 PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CALL FOR ABSTRACTS IS NOW CLOSED. Confirmed invited speakers:
The conference will explore the ‘legitimacy debates’ which have thus far been reserved for so-called ‘non-Western’ philosophical traditions, to ask whether the idea of ‘Western Philosophy’ is a legitimate one, rather than simply assuming that it is – and is tantamount to philosophy as such. Questioning the idea of ‘Western Philosophy’ might also involve questioning the linear narrative that presents the history of philosophy as a continuous, progressive, self-standing development from the ancient Greeks to contemporary Euro-America. We thus welcome discussion about how entanglements between philosophy in Europe and the rest of the world have a bearing on the notion of ‘Western Philosophy’. Recent scholarship has highlighted the erasure of African and Asian philosophical sources, starting in 18th century European historiography, and its repainting of philosophy as purely European and White, while others have highlighted the erasure of women from the history of philosophy across Europe over the same period. Through the conference presentations, we hope to develop a clearer picture of how these dynamics shaped or even grounded the idea of ‘Western Philosophy’ which emerged over the 19th and 20th centuries. The conference also seeks to explore the impact of colonialism and how its legacies have contributed to the construction of ‘Western Philosophy’. We thus anticipate critical debates about the origins and rapid ascendancy of the idea of ‘Western Philosophy’, opening new directions in scholarship that pinpoints key moments in the genealogy and dissemination of the idea itself. Organizers: Lea Cantor (Oxford) - lea.cantor[twirly symbol]philosophy.ox.ac.uk Josh Platzky Miller (KwaZulu-Natal/Cambridge) - millerj[twirly symbol]ukzn.ac.za Conference venue & Accessibility: Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre, Worcester College, University of Oxford, UK. Fully wheelchair accessible. PA system with handheld and lapel microphone units, infrared hearing system. We welcome abstracts that address topics related to the issues outlined above, including:
Eligibility & submission guidelines: We invite abstracts of maximum 500 words from graduate students and Early Career Scholars (within 5 years of PhD completion), suitable for 20-minute presentations in English. We especially encourage submissions from members of underrepresented groups in philosophy, particularly scholars from/in the Global South. Please note that the CFA IS NOW CLOSED. Abstracts should have been submitted as a .PDF file in an email attachment to questionwesternphilosophy[at]protonmail.com by 30 October 2022. Please write ‘Conference Abstract Submission’ in the subject line of your email and include your name, departmental affiliation (if relevant), email address, and the title of your paper (Early Career Researchers: please include the year in which your PhD was awarded) in your email. Abstracts should be prepared for blind review, so please ensure that your abstract is free from any identifying personal details (i.e. including title and abstract, but no information about author or institutional affiliation). Decisions will be communicated by 30 November 2022. Contact: For more information and updates, please visit our conference website. For any inquiries, please contact one of the organizers directly. If you wish to be kept informed about the conference (and how to attend), please register your interest here. This conference is generously supported by the Mind Association, the British Society for the History of Philosophy, the Aristotelian Society, the Centre for Early Modern Studies (CEMS, Oxford), and NTU Singapore. |