CFP: Envisioning Canada: A Special Issue of Dialogue

Dialogue, the official journal of the Canadian Philosophical Association, is seeking submissions for the upcoming special issue: "Envisioning Canada."

Philosophers have long contemplated what Canada is and what it should be. In doing so, they have made significant contributions to how the Canadian national identity, state, and society are understood. This special issue extends that tradition by seeking scholarly contributions to philosophical debates concerning Canada and its future.

Robertson Davies once said: “There are countries you love and countries you hate, but Canada is a country you worry about.” This is no less true today, as Canada faces new challenges and the latest iterations of long-standing national conflicts. The pandemic revealed the decline of deference in some quarters of Canadian society, while raising bio-ethical and legal issues of philosophical interest. The spectre of climate change and its effects demand that difficult philosophical questions be broached, as does the persistence of socio-economic inequality. We invite new work that tackles these and similar issues by applying insights from any area of philosophy to Canadian contexts.

A perennial worry in Canadian philosophy is existential. Will the nation survive? If so, what will the Canada of tomorrow look like? These remain salient questions. Efforts at reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian nation-state have led to debate over what the right relationship is, and what future is possible. Bill 21 and 96 in Québec have stoked the flames of debates over accommodation, multiculturalism, and interculturalism. These events, increasing use of the notwithstanding clause, and legislation like Alberta’s Sovereignty Act, reveal certain cracks in Canada’s federation. What guidance can today's philosophers give Canada in the face of these challenges? We also welcome philosophically informed contributions from non-philosophers.

Possible Topics Include (But Are Not Limited To):

• The Future of Canadian Philosophy
• Canada's National Identity; Nationhood; Nationalism; Citizenship; Borders
• Philosophy of (Canadian) Culture; Multiculturalism; Interculturalism; Bilingualism
• Indigenous Philosophies; Reconciliation/Resurgence; Legal Philosophy
• Environmental Philosophy and Canada
• Applied Philosophy in Canadian Contexts
• Engagements with Canadian Philosophers & Traditions

Submission Deadline: August 31st, 2023

Submission Guidelines:

Send completed articles to both:

Eric Wilkinson ([email protected])

Elizabeth Trott ([email protected]) 

Any questions regarding the special issue can be directed to Eric Wilkinson. 

See the CFP and Style Guide at the following link for details about formatting: