CFP: Heidegger 50 years on - Is There Still a God That Can Save Us?

Heidegger 50 years on: Is There Still a God That Can Save Us?  

Call for Abstracts out now  

The British Society for Phenomenology Annual Conference 2026 convened by the University of Sussex, UK, at Brighton 21 – 23 May.

Keynotes:

• Dr Matthew J. Barnard (Senior Lecturer in Philosophy. Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)
• Assoc. Prof. Joseph Cohen (Associate Professor of Philosophy. School of Philosophy, University College Dublin, Ireland)
• Prof. Daniel O. Dahlstrom (John R. Silber Professor of Philosophy. Boston University, USA)
• Anthony Stadlen (Senior Daseinsanalyst, existential psychoanalyst, family therapist. Independent Effective Member for UK of International Federation of Daseinsanalysis; British Psychotherapy Foundation - Senior Member, Convenor of Inner Circle Seminars)
• Dr Ingvild Torsen (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo, Norway)
• Prof. Nicolas de Warren (Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies, Penn State University, USA)

Theme:

A number of events are being planned to mark the centenary of the publication of Martin Heidegger’sBeing and Time / Sein und Zeitin 2027. However, May 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of Heidegger’s death. Accordingly, the Philosophy Department at the University of Sussex will convene the British Society for Phenomenology Annual Conference 2026 to consider where we are 50 years on in terms of Heidegger’s legacy.  

Our event will be framed by Heidegger’s infamous 1966 interview with Der Spiegel (published posthumously in 1976 at Heidegger’s request), which appeared five days after his passing. Der Spiegelpublished the interview with a title taken from one of Heidegger’s statements in the interview:Only a God Can Save Us.   ‘Heidegger 50 years on – Is There Still a God That Can Save Us?’ asks people to reflect on our times along with the many questions and themes Heidegger’s philosophy opens up.  

We welcome papers across a broad range of areas. These include, but are not limited to: technology, art, politics, Artificial Intelligence, the continental/analytic divide (to the extent that there still is one), history, nihilism and so on. This is very much a ‘Heidegger and…’ conference, and speakers are welcome to focus on Heidegger’s own work, but also Heidegger in relation to other thinkers, those exploring interdisciplinary approaches within and beyond phenomenology, and practitioners who engage with Heideggerian themes in their work.  

Conference Directors:

• Prof Tanja Staehler (Professor of European Philosophy, Philosophy Department, University of Sussex, UK)
• Prof Mahon O’Brien (Professor of Philosophy, Philosophy Department, University of Sussex, UK)
• Dr Keith Crome (President of the BSP | Principal Lecturer in Philosophy, Department of History, Politics and Philosophy, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK)

British Society for Phenomenology Annual Conference 2026 convened by the Philosophy Department, Faculty of Media, Arts, and Humanities, University of Sussex, UK Brighton UK | 21 – 23 May 2026  

Check out the full Call for Abstracts for ‘Heidegger 50 years on – Is There Still a God That Can Save Us?’ on the conference website: 

https://sites.google.com/view/bsp26/