CFP: Engineering Educational Concepts: Philosophical Analysis for Educational Problems

Call for Abstracts

Engineering Educational Concepts: Philosophical Analysis for Educational Problems

Workshop: 21st -22nd October 2022, Swansea University, UK

Full papers deadline: 31st January 2023

This workshop aims to examine the role that analytic philosophy plays in educational studies. Specifically, it will draw on recent trends in analytic philosophy that focus on conceptual engineering. Conceptual engineering, or ameliorative analysis, takes concepts and suggests ways of defining them to solve real-world problems. Sally Haslanger pioneered this approach in social philosophy by proposing an engineered concept of gender to advance feminist causes. Since educational research aims to solve real-world problems, conceptual engineering seems to be a promising research model for analytic philosophy of education.

The aim of this call for papers is to bring together a community of researchers interested in the potential of conceptual engineering in education, and to set the groundwork for future research in this area. This workshop on engineering educational concepts will be used to develop an edited anthology on conceptual engineering in education. 

Abstracts are invited exploring the following areas:

·      Philosophy as a methodology in the social sciences, particularly education.

·      Worked examples of engineering educational concepts eg analyses of knowledge, intelligence, flourishing, rights, inquiry, justice, etc.

·      Examples (theoretical or empirical) of the role that concepts play in the social sciences, particularly education.

·      Criticisms of conceptual engineering in general, and in education in particular.

·      Alternatives to conceptual engineering in education, including other philosophical approaches.

·      Analytic and non-analytic approaches to conceptual engineering in education.

·      Discussion of the value of conceptual analysis and engineering.

·      Other: All proposals are welcome and will be fully considered.

The cost of transport from within the UK, and one night of accommodation in Swansea will be covered. If there is interest, a separate online workshop will be set up for participants who are unable to travel but wish to contribute to the book. 

All participants will be encouraged to submit a paper for the edited book. 

Please send anonymised abstracts (max. 1000 words) to [email protected] by the 1st of September 2022.