Civility and Politics in a Changing World

Call for Papers – Conference: ‘Civility and Politics in a Changing World’ University of Kansas, Lawrence, 19-21 July 2025 (in-person only)   Convenors: Matteo Bonotti (Monash University), Nancy E. Snow (University of Kansas), John Symons (University of Kansas)  

Conference Overview   The idea of civility often features prominently in public debate—or, rather, allegations of incivility do. Civility is generally considered an essential public virtue, and yet many are concerned that it is gradually disappearing. Politics, it is often argued, has become increasingly less civil and characterized by heated interactions and ‘wars of words’ (Bejan 2017, 1). This state of affairs is only worsened by growing levels of political polarization along partisan lines. Demands for civility are advanced from all sides, but disagreement remains on what civility entails, and how it can best be promoted in the political arena. This conference aims to address these challenges by providing a forum for interdisciplinary debate on civility and incivility in contemporary politics and, in the longer term, to establish an international network of scholars working in this field.   The conference is organized and supported by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Center for Cyber Social Dynamics at the University of Kansas, and by Monash University via the Research Talent Accelerator Fellowship program.  

Confirmed Invited Speakers

• Matteo Bonotti (Monash University)
• Kate Kenski (University of Arizona)
• Ashley Muddiman (University of Kansas)
• Petr Špelda (Charles University)
• Vít Střítecký (Charles University)
• Emily Sydnor (Syracuse University)
• John Symons (University of Kansas)
• Robert Talisse (Vanderbilt University)
• Suzanne Whitten (Queen’s University Belfast)
• Steven T. Zech (Monash University)

We invite paper proposals from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives (including but not limited to political science, philosophy, law, sociology, communication studies, psychology, and linguistics) which engage, inter alia, with the following topics:  

• (In)civility in party politics and parliaments
• (In)civility and democratic theory
• (In)civility, gender and politics
• (In)civility, race/ethnicity and politics
• (In)civility, religion and politics
• (In)civility, language and politics
• (In)civility, climate change and environmental politics
• The implications of AI and other technological innovations for (in)civility in politics 

Submission Guidelines    Please submit a 500-word abstract in English, anonymized for blind review, by 8 December 2024. Selected participants will also be expected to pre-circulate a 5000-word paper (inclusive of notes and references) by 15 June 2025. The expectation is that papers will be read in advance by the conference participants in order to encourage a deeper discussion. The conference papers may also be considered for inclusion in a special issue or edited collection following the conference. Accepted contributions will be allocated a 20-minute presentation slot followed by a 10-minute discussion.    The selected participants will be expected to be present at the conference in person for the full 3 days (19-21 July 2025). Unfortunately, participation via Zoom will not be possible. Catering (breakfast, tea/coffee breaks, lunches and dinners) will be provided throughout the conference. However, the selected participants will be responsible for their travel and accommodation arrangements and expenses.

Important Dates 

• Abstract submission deadline: 8 December 2024 
• Notification of acceptance: 22 December 2024
• 5000-word paper submission deadline: 15 June 2025  

Contact    For all correspondence, including abstract submissions and additional inquiries, please direct your communication to the conference convenors Matteo Bonotti ([email protected]), Nancy E. Snow ([email protected]) and John Symons ([email protected]).