University of Iowa Graduate Conference

University of Iowa Graduate Philosophy Conference 2026

The graduate students of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Iowa are pleased to announce the 2026 University of Iowa Graduate Philosophy Conference, to be held in person on April 4, 2026, in Iowa City, Iowa.

This is a general-theme philosophy conference. We invite submissions of high-quality papers by current graduate students in philosophy on any area of philosophy, broadly construed.

Keynote Speaker

Jennifer Lackey
Professor of Philosophy, Northwestern University

Professor Lackey will also deliver a talk for the University of Iowa Philosophy Colloquium on April 3, 2026, from 3:30–5:00 PM. Conference participants are welcome to attend this colloquium.

Submission Guidelines

• Eligibility:
  Submissions are open to current graduate students in philosophy. Co-authored papers are welcome, provided that all authors are current graduate students in philosophy.
• Paper Length:
• 2,500–3,500 words, excluding abstract and references
• Abstract:
• Maximum 300 words
• Format:
• PDF only
• Submissions must be anonymized for blind review
• File name format:
  2026UIGC_title.pdf
• What to Submit:

1.                     An anonymized PDF containing:

• Paper title
• Abstract (≤300 words)
• Full paper

2.                     A separate cover letter including:

• Author name(s)
• Paper title
• General area of philosophy (e.g., social epistemology, philosophy of AI)
• Institutional affiliation
• Contact information

Submission & Notification Timeline

• Submission deadline: February 1, 2026
• Notification of acceptance: March 1, 2026

Presentations

• Accepted presenters will deliver a 25–30 minute talk
• Each session will be followed by approximately 30 minutes of Q&A
• Q&A will include a prepared commentary by a University of Iowa graduate student

Conference Details

• Date: April 4, 2026
• Format: Entirely in person
• Location: University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

The conference will provide:

• Light breakfast and coffee in the morning
• Buffet-style lunch during the day

For traveling presenters, we can also arrange housing with University of Iowa graduate students, depending on availability.

Submissions & Inquiries

Please send submissions and all inquiries to:

Hyunchae Kim
Organizer, 2026 University of Iowa Graduate Philosophy Conference
[email protected]