Philosophy and the Public Sphere
2020 SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHERS EASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
January 23-25, 2020
University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida
Keynote Speakers:
- Angela McKay Knobel, The Catholic University of America
- Michael Murray, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation
- Meghan Sullivan, University of Notre Dame
There will also be two plenary panel discussions at this conference:
- A Teaching Panel
- A Faith and Philosophy Panel
If you are interested in participating in either panel, please see below* for details.
CALL FOR PAPERS
We welcome and encourage papers on any philosophical topic. We especially welcome submissions that fall under the broad theme of the conference, including but not limited to:
- The value of public philosophy
- Difficulties unique to public philosophy
- A philosophical discussion of any issue or concern that is currently the subject of public discourse.
Complete papers (3,000 words, maximum) on any topic of philosophical interest will be considered. We welcome the submissions from both Christians and non-Christians as presenters, commentators, and participants. All submissions should be prepared for blind review and saved as either Word or PDF files. In your submission email, please use the subject heading “SCP USF Submission.” Please indicate, as well, whether you would be willing to serve as a commentator or chair should your paper not be accepted for presentation.
Please send all submissions no later than October 1st. We will do our best to issue a response by November 1st.
NOTE: There will be a $500 award for the best paper by a student.
The SCP has secured a small grant to help make this conference and others more family-friendly. The online registration form will include a question about childcare needs and any other arrangements that might help make the conference more workable for those with families. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate every request, but we will try to be as responsive as possible.
*If you wish to participate in one of the panels, please send an email by October 1st with:
- For the teaching panel: Your name, institution, average class size and demographic, and a brief account of what you would like to contribute. For example: a helpful text or resource you’ve discovered, something you wish you knew earlier in your teaching days, syllabus ideas, general pedagogical recommendations, anything that you would like to share about teaching—especially as it pertains to teaching as a Christian philosopher.)
- For the faith and philosophy panel: Your name and institution, and a brief account of what you would like to contribute. You do not need to answer each of these questions, but here are some general ideas that capture what I’m looking for here: What effect, if any, has your faith had on your decision to study philosophy. How has your faith been strengthened, shaken, or both by your decision to work in philosophy? What advice would you give to philosophically curious Christians? What advice would you give to Christians who are suspicious, resentful, or otherwise wary of the practice of academic philosophy? Anything else that seems relevant to this panel!
Details on the website here: https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/departments/philosophy/conferences/scper/
Please send submissions, requests to chair or comment, and any questions you may have to: Dolores G. Morris at dgmorris@usf.edu.