CFP: Social Epistemology of Argumentation -- 6th Topoi Conference and Closing conference of the ERC-funded project 'Social Epistemology of Argumentation' (SEA)

The ERC-funded project ‘Social Epistemology of Argumentation’ (SEA) has been running since 2018 at VU Amsterdam, and is now coming to its end. At its closing conference, we will reflect on our results and findings, and continue to explore how to achieve fruitful argumentation and deliberation in contemporary social, scientific and political settings. 

Our contemporary social world includes many situations of conflict and disagreement over proper and adequate processes of knowledge production and dissemination, and questions arise as to how we can be responsible epistemic agents when engaging in argumentation. Is argumentation truth-conducive? Is it possible to improve one’s epistemic stance through argumentation, and if so, how? What are the  norms governing argumentation in different settings, such as science and politics? Which safeguards can be implemented in argumentative and deliberative settings that may decrease epistemic injustice? How should we address the presence of polarization, misinformation, fake news or conspiracy theories in the public sphere, in media and in democracy? How can diverse types of knowledge be included into mainstream knowledge-producing settings such as politics, academia, and social media? And how can marginalized voices be heard and supported in (oppressive) epistemic situations?

Keynote speakers

Alessandra Tanesini (Cardiff University)

David Ludwig (Wagenigen University)

Confirmed speakers from the SEA network

Catarina Dutilh Novaes

Natalie Ashton

Solmu Anttila

Merel Talbi

Hugo Mota

Julia Duetz

Hein Duijf

Silvia Ivani

Colin Rittberg

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to

*Different conceptions and practices of argumentation

*Deliberative democracy

*Formal social epistemology and epistemic networks

*Epistemic injustice, epistemic violence and epistemic oppression in connection with argumentation

*Emotions in argumentation

*Social epistemology of online environments

*Epistemic diversity, (including connections with moral, political and social diversity)

*Social exchange theory and processes of social knowledge production and sharing

*Social epistemology of science and academia

*Social epistemology of argumentation as viewed from the perspective of feminist, decolonial, queer philosophy and disabilities studies

*The role of trust in argumentation

We encourage applications from relevant subfields in philosophy that include (but are not limited to) argumentation theory, epistemology, political theory and philosophy, critical theory, philosophy of language, phenomenology, feminist philosophy and disability studies. We also welcome applications from the humanities and social sciences, e.g., sociology and social theory, science and technology studies, critical race studies, gender studies, discourse studies, history, decolonial and postcolonial studies, legal studies, political economy, social psychology, media and communication science, and political science. 

Submission

Please submit a 500-word abstract through this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RcdPQ10pU8UCgFGRp2_zcPyZyiHPYvSKLqhJ9lfFyY0/edit

(Copy and paste to get the link.) The abstract must be suitable for a 35-minute talk (including Q&A). The deadline for submissions is December 8th. Notification of acceptance will be communicated by December 22nd.

Some funding is available for scholars who require additional financial support - please let us know through the form if you do not have access (or limited access) to institutional funding. 

The organizers are committed to making this workshop an accessible space and share the goal of mitigating the exclusionary mechanisms at work in the field of academic philosophy. We especially encourage persons from marginalized and underrepresented groups to apply, e.g. BIPoC, LGBTQAI+ people, economically marginalized people and disabled persons. Some general information about accessibility at VU Amsterdam can be found here: https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/more-about/facilities-for-people-with-a-disability

If you have questions or requirements that this page does not cover, you can [email protected], email us, or let us know through the google form (responses will be stored separately from submissions) when submitting your abstract.

Organizers: Solmu Anttila, Merel Talbi, Natalie Ashton, Catarina Dutilh Novaes