CFP: Kyoto School: Synthesis of Eastern Intellectual Tradition and Western Philosophy

Dear Colleagues,

The Kyoto School of philosophy has produced one of the most important bodies of philosophical scholarship outside Euro-America. However, they are not merely scholars of non-Western or Asian philosophy; instead, these philosophers synthesized Eastern intellectual traditions and Western philosophies. To highlight the significance of the Kyoto School, we are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue on “Kyoto School: Synthesis of Eastern Intellectual Tradition and Western Philosophy”.

Although the title mentions a synthesis of two traditions, this Special Issue’s goal is broader because the scholarship range among the Kyoto School philosophers is much wider than what we might suspect. The most famous philosophers of the Kyoto School, such as Nishida Kitarō and Tanabe Hajime, drew on Indian, Chinese, Japanese, American, German, and French philosophies, making important contributions to philosophy fields such as epistemology, ontology, religion, and philosophy of history and political theory, while at the same time questioning the boundaries between such subdivisions. However, other Kyoto School philosophers, such as Miki Kiyoshi, developed their philosophical synthesis to include Marxism and social theory. Consequently, this Special Issue would like to solicit a wide range of essays revealing the immense scope of the Kyoto School.

The Kyoto School is also well-known for its controversial critique of modernity. During the interwar period, some Kyoto School philosophers were associated with the goal of “overcoming modernity” in a critique of capitalist modernity. This critique was controversial due to disagreement among scholars concerning how close this position was to that of the Japanese government. This Special Issue, therefore, will also welcome submissions dealing with this more political aspect of the Kyoto School philosophy. Tosaka Jun, who is sometimes associated with the Kyoto School, developed a critique of the Kyoto School from a Marxist perspective. As such, we are also interested in papers that deal with critiques of the Kyoto School and potential responses.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. The topics of interest include (but are not limited to) any individual Kyoto School philosopher and the following research areas:

• The Kyoto School and continental philosophy;
• The problem of space and time in the Kyoto School;
• Differences between the various generations of the Kyoto School;
• The Kyoto School and Marx and/or Hegel;
• The Kyoto School and postcolonial theory;
• The politics of the Kyoto School;
• Chinese or Indian philosophy and the Kyoto School;
• The Kyoto School and the problem of Japanese fascism.
• We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Viren Murthy
Guest Editor