In the middle of the twentieth century\, Hannah Arendt published The Human Condition (1958)\, a work she had originally intended to title Amor Mundi\, as she later recalled. The reference to Augustine\, to whom she had devoted her early writings\, is explicit and enabled her to delineate\, from both an anthropological and political perspective\, the place of the human being within the worlds of nature and history.
\nSeveral decades later\, the question of the human condition continues to challenge us\, despite profound changes in cultural\, scientific\, and historical contexts. This conference forms part of the research project For a Culture of Care: A Response to the Anthropological Crisis (https://www.pusc.it/research-project/care) and seeks to further explore this perspective.
\nThe focus of our reflection concerns the dual condition of human existence\, suspended between two poles: on the one hand\, its greatness\, expressed in freedom and in the pursuit of justice and the good\; on the other\, its fragility\, rooted in its constitutive finitude. Against this background\, alongside the need for a renewed culture of care\, stands the universal experience of pain and suffering.
\nPain and suffering are\, indeed\, deeply personal experiences\, seemingly impossible to communicate in their entirety and therefore often confined to the inner and private sphere. Yet they are continually spoken of\, within the complex interplay between lived experience and language\, between singularity and interpretation\, thereby opening one&rsquo\;s wounded world to the gaze of others.
\nThe particular and the universal thus appear here in an exemplary way\, making room for the many dimensions of language: from metaphor to broken speech\, from the cry of despair to anguished silence\, all in an attempt to overcome the abyss of loneliness that surrounds every existence tested by limit situations. Pain and suffering seem capable of becoming a trial and a judgment of the very meaning of existence.
\nWhile rituals and religions\, together with their symbols and myths\, seek to provide a vocabulary of evil and suffering\, aimed at understanding these experiences within a broader horizon of salvation\, philosophy is called upon to overcome the asymmetry between experience and communication. It does so by exploring the relationship between personal experience and its interpretation\, opening new spaces for human relations. The crucial question is therefore how to envision renewed forms of relationship marked by proximity and compassion\, solidarity and shared vulnerability.
\nAt this point\, a variety of scientific disciplines also come into play\, including psychology\, cognitive science\, sociology\, education\, medicine\, and law. Law\, in particular\, is an essential instrument for developing sound healthcare policies capable of alleviating the burden of both personal and social trauma.
\nAgainst social and cultural dynamics that wound contemporary humanity and seek to shield individuals from any genuine confrontation with suffering\, except in isolation\, stands the commitment of philosophers and scientists who strive to develop new anthropological and ethical frameworks capable of fostering a renewed culture of care.
\nSuggested Topics
\nSubmission Guidelines and Deadlines
\nScholars wishing to present a paper relevant to the themes of the conference are invited to submit an abstract\, in both Italian and English\, of no more than 400 words to the conference coordinators: pricci@unime.it\; frusso@pusc.it
\nThe subject line should read: &ldquo\;Conference Paper Proposal\, 8-9 April 2027&rdquo\;
\nAbstracts must be submitted by 30 November 2026.
\nProposals will be evaluated by a scientific committee\, and authors will be notified of the outcome by 7 January 2027.
\nThe final version of accepted papers\, prepared for publication and not exceeding 20\,000 characters (including spaces and footnotes)\, must be submitted to the Conference Secretariat by 15 April 2027. Submitted papers will undergo peer review for possible inclusion in the conference proceedings.
\nThe file should be named: &ldquo\;Surname Name&rdquo\;
\nEach participant may submit only one paper. Oral presentations at the conference will be limited to 15 minutes.
ORGANIZER;CN=Luca Valera: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR