Vienna Doctoral School of Philosophy Summer School 2023

Vienna Doctoral School of Philosophy Summer School 2023

We are pleased to announce that the Vienna Doctoral School of Philosophy is extending the deadline for its upcoming summer school. This year’s summer school—Inclusivity and Ethics—is a three day event that will take place at the University of Vienna from 10-12 of July.

A brief description of the topic:

Ethical theorists often take positions, whether by accident or on purpose, that entail strong divisions in who (or what) counts as having moral status. Whether in respect of marginalized groups, future generations, or impersonal entities (like the environment), concerns of inclusivity are at the forefront of contemporary ethical discussions. These discussions may take place on the more abstract level of meta-ethics, as certain theories may distribute moral agency on the basis of rational capacities that non-human animals—and some humans (e.g., very young children)—arguably lack. They may take place on the level of normative theories that only grant moral status to conscious entities that can be made more or less well-off, a consideration that means it is not possible to act in morally wrongful ways towards non-conscious entities. And perhaps paradigmatically, theories can fail to be inclusive by omitting or trivializing the concerns of marginalized groups, often because they are left out of the institutions and knowledge-making processes that set the agenda for academic debates. To reflect on 'inclusivity' as a philosophical theme is not only to reflect on the abstract commitments that make a moral theory more or less inclusive, but also to reflect on the specific concerns and applied cases that our discussions have failed to include. 

We strongly encourage students working in all areas of philosophy and neighbouring disciplines (e.g., gender studies, sociology, queer theory, or medicine) to apply.

The format of this year’s summer school will consist of three days of peer presentations. Applicants are asked to submit a short abstract for a presentation on the above-mentioned theme that they will deliver in the presence of their peers and esteemed instructors for feedback and advice. Each day of the school will include presentations and assigned readings from the school’s instructors.

Instructors for the school include:

Sunaura Taylor (University of California, Berkeley, United States)

Edwin Etieyibo (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and the University of Alberta, Canada)

Paul*A Helfritzsch (University of Vienna, Austria)

Luz Ascarate (University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France)

Carlo Salzani (University of Innsbruck, Austria and the Messerli Research Institute, Austria)

Structure & Dates:

• The school will take place (in-person) at the University of Vienna from 10-12 of July, 2023.

• Students will be assigned readings in advance and expected to attend all three days of the event. 4 ECTS credits will be provided to students who present and fully attend the school.

Application:

Applicants are asked to prepare a short academic CV and (in a separate document) an abstract for a ten minute presentation (approx. 150 words) that does not contain your name or any identifying information. Please send the completed application to [email protected].

Submissions are now closed. Please send any inquiries in respect of attendance or participation to [email protected]

Diversity:

We especially encourage (and actively welcome) applications from underrepresented or disadvantaged groups within the profession and the academic community at large.

This event is happily co-sponsored by the City of Vienna, the ÖH, and Ströck.