One of the main topics in feminist philosophy is the notion of \;marriage. Traditionally\, \;feminist philosophers have disputed the underlying moral and legal rationales for the structure of marriage and the legal recognition of same-sex marriage. \;Recently\, an increasing number of feminists have beenfocusing on the metaphysical status of marriage \;also in its correlation with the categories of \;family\, \;parenthood\, \;adoption \;and \;sexual orientation. Moreover\, \;it is widely held \;in the socials sciences and humanities \;that \;familyand \;marriage \;notions are socially constructed: \;family \;and \;marriage \;differ from one society to another and \;vary by legal jurisdiction\, religious doctrine and culture.
\nElizabeth Brake\, in \;Minimizing Marriage: \;Marriage\, Morality\, and Law \;(OUP\, 2012) focuses on the plurality of possible adult caring relationships by proposing a new and innovative \;form of \;marriage\, namely \;minimal marriage. \;The law should not restrict\, Brake argues\, the number or sex of the spouses\, or require that that the exchange of marriage rights and responsibilities be reciprocal or be exchanged with one person. Rather\,marital rights are exchanged reciprocally or \;asymmetrically. Thus\, \;minimal marriage \;supports the view that some \;legal relationships could be sexual or economic\, some \;nonexclusive sexual relationship but just caretaking relationships between adult family members or friends\, others resemble traditional marriages or involve sharing a household without necessarily sharing sexual intimacies. Elizabeth Brake&rsquo\;s notion of \;minimal marriageexplores a territory halfway between feminist theory and political philosophy and has implications for issues that are relevant in both fields:what is\, fundamentally\, marriage? What defines a family? \;Does marriage necessarily include procreation? What is it that makes someone a parent? What does make a woman (or man) a mother (or father)?\; Is parenthood a biological or natural relationship? \;This workshop aims\, therefore\, to be an opportunity to confront ideas and opinions \;between young \;and \;more experienced researchers \;on the topics at an international dimension and in an interdisciplinary perspective. \;The workshop \;will address these and related questions\, including: \;family and adoption\; reproduction\, procreation and family\; reproduction and sexuality\; man and masculinity\; sexuality and marriage\; motherhood and fatherhood\; marriage\, same-sex unions and civil marriage.
\nElizabeth Brake (PhD St. Andrews) is Associate Professor in Philosophy at the University of Calgary and specializes in ethics\, political philosophy\, and feminist philosophy. She also has research interests in philosophy and literature and the work of Kant\, Hegel\, and John Rawls. Her publications include &ldquo\;Marriage\, Morality\, and Institutional Value&rdquo\; in \;Ethical Theory and Moral Practice \;(2007)\, &ldquo\;Rawls and Feminism: What Should Feminists Make of Liberal Neutrality?&rdquo\; in the \;Journal of Moral \;Philosophy \;(2004)\, &ldquo\;Justice and Virtue in Kant&rsquo\;s Account of Marriage&rdquo\; in \;Kantian Review \;(2005).
\nProgram:
Thursday\, June 14
10.0-10.30 Registration
10.30 &ndash\; 11.30: Elizabeth Brake (University of Calgary - Arizona State \;University): Philosophy of Marriage: Its recent past and possible future
11.30 -12.00 coffee break
12.00-13.30 Discussants:
Chloë\; FitzGerald (University of Western Ontario)
Esa Diaz Leon (University of Manitoba)
Daniele Santoro (LUISS University\, Rome)
13.30-15.30 lunch
15.00-16.30 Chris Bennett (Sheffield University): Couples and Care: \;Reflections on Elizabeth Brake&rsquo\;s &ldquo\;Minimizing Marriage&rdquo\;
Discussants:
Giuliano Torrengo (LOGOS\, University of Barcelona)
Claudia Compte (University of Valencia)
José\; Martí\;nez (University of Barcelona)
16.30-17 coffee break
17.00-18.30 Serena Olsaretti (ICREA\, Pompeu Fabra University and University \;of Cambridge): The truth in the public goods argument for sharing the costs \;of children
Discussants:
Josep E. Corbí\; (University of Valencia)
Sanja Bojanic Milutinovic (University of Belgrade)
Friday\, June 15
10.00 &ndash\; 10.50: Elizabeth Brake (University of Calgary - Arizona State \;University): Is Minimal Marriage Minimal Enough?
10.50 &ndash\; 11.15 coffee break
11.15 -13.15 \;
Discussants:
Lina Papadaki (University of Creta)
Josefa Toribio (ICREA\, Autò\;mona University of Barcelona)
Teresa Marques (Logos/LanCog\, University of Lisbon)
13.15-15.15 lunch
15.15 -16.30 Heather Arnold (Leeds University): Taking the abolition of the \;family seriously
Discussants:
Genoveva Marti (ICREA-Universidad de Barcelona)
Andrew Williams (ICREA/ Pompeu Fabra University)
Manuel Garcí\;a-Carpintero \;(University of Barcelona)
coffee break 16.30-16.45
16.45-18.00 Luis Duarte d&rsquo\;Almeida (University of Girona): Permission\,
protection\, promotion: Breaking down the justification of legal marriage
Discussants:
Vera Tripodi (University of Barcelona)
Christopher (Toffa) Evans (University Autò\;noma of Barcelona)
No registration fee\, but if interested in attending please contact: \;
For further information\, please visit: \;