Hope: Probing the Boundaries

When Pandora’s box emptied all of its ills that would plague the
world, one small winged creature still remained: hope. The project
inquires into the nature of this gift. Is hope, in fact, a good,
encouraging us to do or be good? Or is it an evil; an illusion,
perhaps an impossible fantasy? How does hope manifest itself in the
world, in language, literature, and the arts? How – should – hope be
encouraged? Is hope individual or collective in nature? Or both? What
does hope contribute to individual or national identity?

This inter- and multi-disciplinary research and publications project
explores the multi-layered ideas, actions, and cultural traditions
regarding hope, as well as the nature of hope, its relationship with
other emotions or movements, and its manifestation in the actions of
individuals, cultures, communities and nations. We seek papers and
presentations which consider the history of hope, its cultural and
artistic representations, its meaning(s), and/or its philosophical or
scientific ‘legitimacy’. We are particularly interested in the
nascent field of future studies, and in teasing out the distinctions
between hope and optimism.

Organising Chairs

John L. Hochheimer: [email protected]
Nancy Billias: [email protected]
Rob Fisher: [email protected]

The conference is part of the Persons programme of research projects.
It aims to bring together people from different areas and interests
to share ideas and explore various discussions which are innovative
and exciting.