Carleton University Ethics and Public Affairs Conference

Theme: Public Ethics and Shared Spaces

Shared spaces are integral to fostering public life. The aim of this conference is to focus on ethical issues surrounding shared spaces – physical, social, political, and digital. This event will aim to illuminate how best to define, create, and protect shared spaces, and the other social goods and values that these spaces foster. Understanding the ethics of public space in this way is an interdisciplinary project, and we invite submissions from graduate students in philosophy, policy, political science, economy, sociology, anthropology, history, gender studies, critical race studies, human rights, film studies, and so much more.

A defining feature of public life is that it occurs within spaces created and cultivated for it. We create spaces by establishing boundaries — be they physical borders, cultural norms, moral codes, or digital platforms — that give specific meaning to the actions and choices that occur within them. Talking about shared spaces means talking about the ways in which boundaries create and contextualize these domains of human activity. As scholars, policy analysts, and engaged citizens, some of our key aims are to understand how we share spaces, how shared spaces can be made more accessible, what barriers exist to sharing spaces together well, and how we can ensure the safety of these spaces and the individuals that share them or seek to.

Keynote speaker:

Patti Tamara Lenard, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa

“Refugees in our City: The Impact of their Displacement on our Public Spaces”

Examples of paper themes may include:

Healthy Spaces: for the promotion of justice and equity in healthcare

Safe Spaces: for the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community

Sustainable Spaces: for the promotion of environmental goals

Collaborative Spaces: for institutional and community-based resource allocation

Non-commodified Spaces: for the protection of shared space from market influence

Cultural Spaces: for the protection and exchange of cultural experience

Claiming Spaces: for the protection of land and resource rights

Indigenous Spaces: for the practice of Indigenous ways of knowing and reconciliation

Accessible Spaces: to foster and integrate disabled communities

Diverse Spaces: for strengthening BIPOC populations and improving opportunities for BIPOC citizens

National and Non-national Spaces: for promoting the goals of domestic and global justice

Submission Guidelines:

Abstracts must be a maximum of 500 words.

Abstracts must clearly articulate the thesis being defended, or questions being addressed, and explain their significance in respect to the theme of the conference.

Abstracts must not include identifying information.

Abstracts are to be submitted here: https://forms.gle/YoEyByHQyTt4cPt1A

Deadline for Submission: January 24th, 2025, by 11:59pm

Accepted abstracts are allocated 20 minutes for their presentation followed by a 10-minute period of discussion.

Notification of Acceptance will be by: February 10th, 2025