CFP: Philosophy of the Black Experience

CALL FOR PAPERS

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY

International Conference: Philosophy of the Black Experience

March 28-30, 2024

Howard University, Washington DC

The demand/struggle for racial equality, identity, and justice by populations racialized as Black (and other people of color) in the United States and anywhere around the world remain issues of pressing philosophical concern. The struggle for equality and justice requires not only theoretical articulations but also practical accounts upon which to make the demands. Thus, the contributions of the Black race and continent to global civilization need exploration, showcasing, and articulations because they are neither fully appreciated nor given due global recognition. Whether those contributions come from Black Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, or elsewhere, their historical understanding and relevance to contemporary concerns must be adamantly asserted to avoid further marginalization. This conference focuses on the philosophy of the black experience throughout human history to explore the significant contributions and denials of the black race in world civilization. The conference is a philosophical interrogation of black experience in global and national affairs; hence it welcomes papers in all areas of intellectualism that articulate the philosophy of the black experience in any area of human endeavors.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Proposals of any topic on Philosophy of the Black Experience in global context such as Philosophy of the Black Woman’s Experience and Philosophy of the Gendered Black Experience and any of the following:

Sub-themes:

1.      Philosophy of the Black US/Canadian Experience

2.      Philosophy of the Black Caribbean Experience

3.      Philosophy of the Black Latin American Experience

4.      Philosophy of the Black African Experience

5.      Philosophy of the Black European Experience

6.      Philosophy of the Black Arabian Experience

7.      Philosophy of the Black Asian Experience

DEADLINE for submissions is August 1, 2023.  All submissions should be done electronically by midnight Eastern Standard Time on August 1.  Please submit your proposal for traditional paper and/or discussion panel presentations following the guidelines below: Electronic Submissions: All submissions must be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Emails for submissions should indicate “Philosophy Conference” in the subject line.

SUBMISSION TYPES

Traditional Paper: Papers should be between 3,000 - 4,000 words long and suitable for 20-minute presentation in a traditional paper session of three (3) scholars. Potential participants should submit a traditional paper between words and suitable for 20-minute presentation in a traditional paper session of three (3) scholars. Submissions must include 100-150 words abstract.  Longer papers, unless labeled as Discussion papers, will not be considered.  Accepted papers will be presented in their entirety by the author during a session and, in most cases, will be followed by a ten-minute commentary and a period of open discussion.

Panel Discussion Paper: Potential participants should submit a 250-500 word abstract. Each Discussion Panel will consist of four to six (4 – 6) scholars whose work is accepted for a specific panel. Presentation is limited to a ten (10) to fifteen (15) minute summary. The remaining session time will be devoted to questions and open discussion.

Number of Submissions: Please note that individuals will not be allowed on the program more than once.  This means that multiple submissions will not be accepted and that persons participating in invited sessions may not submit to the regular program.

General Formatting:

1.       All submissions should be double-spaced.  Avoid headers/footers because they often contain information that breaches anonymity.

2.      All submissions sent by email should be saved and sent as an attachment in either “.doc”, “.docx or “.pdf” format.  Do not send submissions in “.zip” format.

3.      Please use a standard font such as, Arial, Times New Roman or Courier.

Anonymity: Papers, Discussion Papers, and Panel Proposals must be suitable for blind review.  Please refrain from making references to your own work, your location, or anything obvious that could reveal your identity. If the author’s identity can be determined through self-references, endnotes, etc., the submission may be disqualified.

Confirmation: All persons making submissions with the appropriate subject line information will receive confirmation of receipt of their submission.  If, by 15 August, there is no confirmation, the submitter should contact the conference organizers directly either by email or phone, whichever works.  If you have not received notification of the decision regarding your submission by 15 October, please contact the conference organizers.

Registration: All participants whose work is accepted are required to pay a mandatory $75.00 USD registration fee. All conference participants are welcome to attend an optional banquet for an additional fee of $50.00 USD. Details regarding registration and payment of the fees will be disseminated after the review process is concluded.

Publication: If your paper is accepted for the conference, it will be considered for publication in an edited anthology unless you indicate in your email submission that you do not wish this to be the case.

Commentators and Session Chairs: Persons interested in serving in these capacities should contact the Co-Organizers: Dr. Jacoby Adeshei Carter, [email protected] and Dr. Olanrewaju Shitta-Bey, [email protected] and indicate areas of interest.