CFP: History, Memory, and Justice (Florida Gulf Coast University)

Carolyn Culbertson Announcement
Location
Florida, United States
Subject Fields
Philosophy, Holocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies, Humanities

HISTORY, MEMORY, AND JUSTICE

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY

March 24th-25th, 2017

 

Keynote: Dr. Alice MacLachlan, Associate Professor of Philosophy

York University

 

CONFERENCE DESCRIPTION:

The philosophy program at Florida Gulf Coast University invites submissions for our upcoming conference entitled "History, Memory, and Justice" to be held on March 24th and 25th, 2017 in Fort Myers, FL. This conference aims to explore the meaning that history and memory have in the context of human life and, in particular, what it means to remember devastating acts of human violence in a meaningful and responsible way. To address these difficult questions, we welcome papers from a number of diverse philosophical starting points (e.g., hermeneutics, phenomenology, ethical theory, legal theory, the history of philosophy, critical theory, etc) and from social scientists in related discplines involved in related inquiries.

Possible topics of exploration include:

  • To what extent is human thinking or human existence always historical? What implications does this have for the study of philosophy?
  • What do present generations owe to past generations? What about to future generations? How do current frameworks -- ethical, political, or legal -- help or hinder us from meeting these obligations?
  • What role does memory play in different models of justice? Can forms of memorialization, recognition, or apology help to restore justice for past wrongs?
  • How is collective memory sustained over time? What gives people a sense of indebtedness to the past?
  • What role do significant historical events play in the construction of current and future identities?
  • What issues are raised between conflicting historical narratives (e.g., socio-scientific and oral traditions) in the construction of individual and group identity?
  • How can forms of collective memory serve to obscure parts of our history, casting them into oblivion? How can we remedy this forgetting?
  • If memorialization is one way of doing justice to the past, how does the passage of time complicate this effort? Does memorializing a past injustice require that we regard it as singular and incomparable, or is it morally necessary to draw comparisons with other, perhaps contemporary injustices?

SUBMISSIONS:

To submit, please send a detailed abstract of 400-600 words prepared for blind review to fgcuphilconference@gmail.com. In the body of your email, please include your name, your university affiliation, a brief bio, and contact information. Abstract submissions are due by December 15, 2016.

TRAVEL INFORMATION:

The campus of Florida Gulf Coast University is located just 10 minutes by car from Southwest Florida International Airport, making air travel to our campus very easy. Further information on travel arrangements will be available at www.fgcu.edu/CAS/Philosophy/newsandevents.html. There is no registration fee for the conference. The event is free and open to the public.

Contact Information

This conference is being organized by the philosophy program at Florida Gulf Coast University. Please contact any of the following members of the department with questions.

Mohamad Al-Hakim, Assistant Professor of Philosophy (malhakim@fgcu.edu)

Carolyn Culbertson, Assistant Professor of Philosophy (cculbertson@fgcu.edu)

Miles Hentrup, Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy (mhentrup@fgcu.edu)

 

 

 

Contact Email
cculbertson@fgcu.edu