CFP: Traditions of Ideology Critique

Fredric Jameson described Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue as one of the
best works on ideology in the 20th century.  In the spirit of this
assessment, the 2015 meeting of the ISME will be focused on the theme
“Traditions of Ideology Critique.” ISME brings together scholars and
activists working from Aristotelian, Thomist and Marxist perspectives to
understand and potentially transform our present social-historical
circumstances.  This year we are encouraging conference participants to take
up the issue of ideology directly.

•       What should we mean by the term ideology?  Has the nature of ideology
changed?
•       How is ideology reproduced, both inside and outside of the academy?
•       In the latter case, what does it look like in the humanities and social
sciences in particular?
•       What do we mean by ideology critique?  What is the role of religion
vis-a-vis such an activity?
•       What do Aristotelians and Thomists stand to learn from Marxists, and
vice-versa, when it comes to engaging in meaningful counter-hegemonic analysis?
•       What can virtue ethicists learn from critical theorists, and vice-versa?
•       Should those who challenge unjust social relations call for local change
rather than (or in addition to) national, international or global change?
Is action at the local level uniquely or differentially open to being
virtuous and/or connected to a tradition?
•       How does ideology function in concrete cases, e.g., the events in Ferguson, MO?

The conference planners, Ruth Groff and Greg Beabout, welcome proposals for
papers and panels on these and other questions.  Proposals need not address
the conference theme.  Proposals for small group/association meetings are
also welcome.  Please submit a short abstract (and any queries) to
[email protected] by February 1, 2015.  Conference details will be
available on the ISME website: