CFP: Call for Abstracts | Journal Special Issue | Philosophy of Artistic Inspiration

JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AND AESTHETICS

Vol. 49, No. 1, Spring 2026

Special Issue | Call For Papers

Philosophy of Artistic Inspiration 

Guest Editor: Giulia Cervato (University of Padua, Italy)

Abstract submission by 31 March 2025 (150-250 words, send to both [email protected] and [email protected])

Full paper submission by 31 October 2025

(Manuscripts in 5,000–10,000 words adhering to the MLA 9th edition)

We invite submissions for a forthcoming number of the Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics exploring the philosophical dimensions of artistic inspiration. This number aims to investigate how inspiration functions within various artistic practices and traditions, considering its implications for creativity, expression, and the nature of art itself.

Artistic inspiration has intrigued thinkers since antiquity, often viewed as a mystical or divine force driving artists in their creative process. Within contemporary philosophical discourse, it acquired a detrimental relevance, raising critical questions about agency, intentionality, and the relationship between the artist and their work. How do philosophical theories—from Plato’s notion of enthusiasm to Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow—inform our understanding of inspiration? In what ways can inspiration be considered an internal psychological state, an external influence, or a social construct?

We welcome contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes: 

• The relationship between philosophy and inspiration: What is the relationship between philosophy and inspiration? To what extent has philosophy and its pursuit of rationalism positioned itself in opposition to the phenomena of inspiration and poetic dispossession? Or, conversely, have there been any fruitful attempts to harmonize philosophy with enthusiastic experiences?

• The relationship between inspiration and technē: Does inspiration transcend technical skill, or are they intrinsically linked? Is technique a barrier to inspiration, or can it coexist harmoniously with it?

• Historical perspectives on inspiration: How have notions of artistic inspiration evolved from antiquity to contemporary thematicizations? What topoi, images, clichés, and metaphors have been developed to describe the experience of inspiration throughout the history of philosophy, art, and literature, and what consequences do they carry?

• Religious implications of inspiration: What is the relationship between inspiration and religious phenomena, such as prophecy? How have different cultures understood the divine origins of inspiration, and how does this affect artistic expression?

• The ethics of inspiration: Is there only a solitary and solipsistic dimension to inspiration, or can it also be conceived as a collective phenomenon? Can inspiration be commodified, and what implications does this have for originality and authenticity in art? 

We encourage papers with an intercultural outlook, examining, e.g., how Western tropes have influenced the thematicization of inspiration in non-Western contexts, as well as comparative analyses between Western and non-Western models. Interdisciplinary approaches and submissions from scholars in philosophy, art, art history, literature, and related fields are particularly welcomed. 

Website: jcla.in

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