CFP: 15th St Andrews Kant Reading Party: Kant and Arendt

As someone who explicitly denied being a moral or political philosopher, Arendt critically engaged with Kant’s work across various topics including the function of conscience, moral objectivity, and the nature of radical evil. The interaction between Arendt’s and Kant’s work invites interdisciplinary perspectives on several moral and political debates. In recognition of Kant’s 300th birthday, we will use these discussions as a unique opportunity to gain new understanding of both figures with respect to one another.
 
The Reading Party will run from 2-6 August. There will be select paper presentations paired with discussion sessions on key issues between Arendt and Kant. Postgraduate students and early-career scholars are invited to submit anonymized abstracts of no longer than 500 words by email to Jacob Librizzi ([email protected]) by 15 June.  
 
Papers should be suitable for a presentation of 45 minutes. Abstracts should be submitted in a Word or PDF file and be prepared for blind review removing all identifying details. Please include as a separate file the title of your paper as well as your institutional affiliation and contact details. In your email, please also indicate if you are willing to participate in the Reading Party if your paper could not be considered for presentation. Authors will be notified about the acceptance of their paper by 20 June.  
 
Preference will be given to abstracts on both Arendt’s and Kant’s practical philosophy and papers that have a comparative approach. While we encourage focusing on one of the topics listed below, submissions on any philosophical issue at the crossroads between Arendt and Kant are welcome.  
 
1. The possibility and nature of radical evil.
2. The (in)fallibility and authority of conscience.
3. The nature and function of judgment.
4. How and when civil disobedience is justifiable.
5. How moral violations affect the legitimacy of state authority.