CFP: Anscombe and Practices: Between Philosophy and Social Science

CfP – Call for Papers: Esercizi Filosofici, 19 2024.

"Anscombe and Practices: Between Philosophy and Social Science"

We are inviting paper submissions for the special issue of Esercizi Filosofici entitled "Anscombe and Practices: Between Philosophy and Social Science".

GUEST EDITORS

Giulia Codognato, University of Udine;
Manuele Dozzi, University of Udine.

DESCRIPTION

The concept of "practice" occupies a central position in contemporary social science research, offering a rich and nuanced framework for understanding the dynamics of social life. Researchers can gain deeper insights into power relations, cultural change, and the interplay of agency and structure by examining how individuals, groups, and societies engage in practices. This notion of "practice" has also piqued the interest of philosophers, who have explored it more theoretically. In this regard, one key figure that comes to mind is Gertrude Elizabeth Margaret Anscombe. Her work addressed fundamental questions in metaphysics, epistemology, language, the mind, action, morality, politics, and religion. Anscombe’s contributions to the philosophy of action, ethics, and metaphysics have had a profound and enduring impact on a wide range of philosophical debates, and continue to be central to contemporary discussions. A key theme that emerges from her writings and warrants deeper exploration is how human agency is related to everyday practices. We believe that focusing on practices offers a pathway to develop a deeper understanding of social phenomena. “Practice” is a concept that transcends disciplinary boundaries, appearing in fields as diverse as philosophy, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and education. This interdisciplinary nature underscores the importance of reflecting on this topic to gain a clearer understanding of its multifaceted meaning. Indeed, a better understanding of the notion of practice can be put to work by providing the conceptual resources for more empirically oriented disciplines outside of philosophy. In light of these considerations, we invite contributions from both philosophers and social scientists to better understand Anscombe’s account of practice and its possible application across various fields. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:  

• Practices and language: Examine Anscombe’s use of Wittgenstein’s concept of language games and grammatical method to understand the relationship between language and practices. Consider her views on the role of rules in governing practices.
• Practices and Ethics: Explore the role of values in shaping and guiding practices and the significance of practices and habits in shaping human actions.
• Influences: Wittgenstein’s influence on Anscombe’s account of practices, as well as Anscombe’s influence on other authors who have further developed her conception of practices.

• Applications of Anscombe’s Notion of Practices: Analise how Anscombe’s notion of practice can be applied to sociological and anthropological studies of human behaviour. Discuss the relevance of Anscombe’s account of practice for psychological research on human motivation, decision-making, and learning. Consider the potential applications of Anscombe’s notion of practice in other disciplines, such as economics, political science, or law.

ONLINE SUBMISSION

Submission Deadline: Authors are kindly requested to submit their contributions by February 28th. If an extension of the deadline is needed, please contact the editors.  Contributions may be submitted in either Italian or English. Submissions should present the results of original studies, both theoretical and historical, within the broader field of philosophical inquiry. Manuscripts must not have been previously published or be under consideration for publication in another journal. Each submission should include an abstract of 600-800 characters (including spaces) and 5 keywords, both in English and Italian. The length of the papers should be approximately 40,000 characters (including spaces). Please send the manuscripts as .doc or .docx file attachments to the email address: [email protected]. All submitted papers will undergo a double-blind peer review process.

Author Submission Guidelines

Authors are asked to prepare their manuscripts according to the journal’s standard: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-KAMzy0J_2NIu4jcjmuHM7y6WHXUi-pw/view?usp=sharing

Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-_QE4ALWK_Ja1_rTZIPwi_pfQ8HZ1CBV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110404724455537152851&rtpof=true&sd=true

CONTACTS

For any questions, please directly contact:
Giulia Codognato : [email protected]
Manuele Dozzi : [email protected]