CFP: Edinburgh - St. Andrews Graduate Conference in Political Theory

Joint Graduate Conference in Political Theory, 5-6 June 2023

Conference Theme: Justice, Oppression, Resistance

We are pleased to announce the first joint Graduate Conference in Political Theory organised by the University of Edinburgh and St. Andrews University.   The conference is supported by CRITIQUE – Centre for Ethics and Critical Thought at Edinburgh – and by the St. Andrews International Political Theory Research Group. The two-day conference will be held in a hybrid format: we will convene in-person at the University of Edinburgh, though attendance and participation may be in-person or online.   The conference will open with a panel on ‘Empire, Race, Nature’, featuring Shuk Ying Chan (University of Oxford) and representatives of the Political Theory PGR community at the University of Edinburgh and St. Andrews.  Four themed panels will follow (see list of possible themes below), with keynote lectures delivered by Dr Ẹniọlá Ṣóyẹmí (Oxford) and Dr Raul Rao (St. Andrews).

Conference Brief:

Various scholars have pointed to numerous blind-spots in classic liberal theories of justice and as a result the world of normative theory has undergone significant changes. The scope of critique is far-reaching, coming from proponents of various traditions within political theory and beyond. Most notably, with the increasing understanding of the role of structural injustices stemming from, for example, centuries of economic, gender, and racial inequities, the idea of justice as resistance against oppression is becoming a central concern of critical normative theory. This conference seeks to explore the ways in which normative theories of justice are problematised in contemporary scholarship, and how this may enable the realisation of a more just world.

Themes:
We particularly seek submissions related to the following (non-exhaustive) list of topics:

• Postcolonial, decolonial, and anti-racist critiques of global politics and ethics
• Feminist perspectives on global justice
• Environmental perspectives on oppression (e.g., ecofeminism and eco-Marxism)
• Ableism, disability, and neurodiversity
• Intersectional perspectives on global justice
• The linkages between justice, oppression, and resistance
• Intergenerational dimensions of justice
• Economic justice and anti-capitalist critique
• The role of research and critical pedagogical methodologies, across the globe, in shaping paradigms of justice

Further Notes:
Out of a commitment to interdisciplinarity and methodological pluralism, we will consider papers from disciplines beyond political theory (for example, law, sociology, anthropology, education, etc.).     We particularly encourage submissions from marginalised and vulnerable groups, including PGRs from the Global South, women, and persons with disabilities.

Submission Guidelines:
Those who are interested in applying to the conference are requested to send a 400-500 word (max) abstract prepared for anonymous review. Submissions are made via e-form. Applicants are asked to include their information (full name, position, affiliation, contact details) in a separate section of the e-form. Link to e-form: https://forms.gle/UfB2K7Cq2Vc3djdm8

The final date of submission is 20 March 2023. Applicants will be informed of the decision regarding their proposal by mid-April.

For any questions, please email the Organising Committee: [email protected]