CFP: Philosophy parrhesia journalism

In the ante-mortem series of lectures, our contemporary Michel Foucault excavates a vital cultural matter. The philosopher canvasses diverse critical exercises as possible stepping stones to an occasion of “truth-telling”. The classics called this aptitude and right – parrhesia, an apposite problem for any age. Touching on personal and public, political and cosmic spheres, Foucault's heuristic account considers fearless speech with respect to human affairs, the building blocks of man-made cultures.

To reiterate Foucault, where and how can one learn to become the person “who speaks and who, regardless of everything, takes the risk of telling the whole truth”, and is willing to accept it?

Philosophers are remembered for the problems posed, questions asked out loud, and inferences made. The best of them are also remembered for taking a hand in their day and age and future. As an independent discipline, journalism is significantly younger than philosophy, and yet eminent journalists work in a similar vein, researching and exposing veridical facts, patterns of error, and injustice. These and other perennial matters are fleshed out in material events and abstractions, in reports, lectures, interviews, and articles, while both camps take pride in nourishing skilful analysts and story-tellers, assuring to convey no fiction!

Could we assume, then, that common roots, concerns, and, possibly, techniques connect philosophical and journalistic investigations as kindred modes of parrhesiastic work?

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Call for abstracts

Our experimental project goes ahead owing to a collaboration with Parrhesia: A Journal of Critical Philosophy

https://www.parrhesiajournal.org/index.php/parr/about

All pieces had been solicited, but due to the unpredictable global circumstances two authors have had to back out. The line-up is impressive, and we have enough space now for 2-4 (3.000-6.000 words) investigative submissions trailblazing the province of philosophical journalism or journalistic philosophy, having parrhesia on their radar.

Our volume explores the epistemological, methodological, investigative and therapeutic parameters of contemporary parrhesiastic activity. Some of our key aims here are a synthesis of critical theory with events, activism and art, including the art of reportage and prison art; keen attention to the pedagogy of communication, to information, academic and aged care crises, to historical precedents (like Albert Camus) and to any stylistic and other oddities triggered by a hybrid parrhesia. 

If you're interested to read the introduction in full + all abstracts, please send me an email. 

At this stage, I'd be particularly interested in proposals dealing with: ecology, health and madness, sexuality, pharmacalogical industry, colonial/capitalist school system, racism and excusivism in politics, nuclear & kindred topics. 

If you're interested in contributing, email me - valery vinogradovs: [email protected] - your short bio and abstract by the 10th of February (should you need a little more time, let me know, please). If accepted, submissions are due in late June or so (then peer-review etc.)

why, today, are journalism and philosophy “so tantalisingly similar and yet frustratingly different?” Schwarz, Journalism Studies, vol 22 (5)