The Gadfly Symposium - Disruptive Pedagogies in Classical Philosophy

Call for Proposals
The Gadfly Symposium: Disruptive Pedagogies in Classical Philosophy
Saturday June 6, 2026 | Host: Eastern Washington University | Venue: EWU Cheney Campus

Hosted by Eastern Washington University, The Gadfly Symposium invites proposals for presentations, workshops, and collaborative teaching demonstrations exploring innovative and disruptive pedagogy techniques in the teaching of classical philosophy. Thanks to generous support from the Jeffers W. Chertok Memorial Endowed Professorship, the Gadfly Symposium is fully funded. There is no fee to register. 

This year’s theme, “Disruptive Pedagogy and the Pursuit of Human Flourishing,” calls educators, scholars, and practitioners to reimagine: How the pursuit of human flourishing might be preserved for students in a time when much of what once sustained it has been automated, outsourced, or declared obsolete?

For the purposes of this program, disruptive pedagogy refers to teaching that unsettles default assumptions about knowledge, authority, technology, and learning. We welcome broad interpretations of disruption—including engaged pedagogy, transgressive pedagogy, inquiry-based learning, and student-centered learning—as frameworks for rethinking how classical texts and philosophical inquiry can provoke deeper self-reflection, civic engagement, and moral imagination among students.

Disruptive pedagogy, in this spirit, is not only a mode of innovation in teaching but also a practice of resistance—a way to challenge and disrupt systems that limit access to knowledge, constrain critical inquiry, and undergird hierarchical structures.

Preference will be given to proposals that:

·        Integrate digital technologies, such as social media, generative AI, or immersive learning environments, in pedagogically creative ways.

AND/OR

·        Demonstrate how disruptive pedagogy can dismantle barriers and decenter authority in ways consistent with the Socratic spirit of inquiry—challenging assumptions, cultivating curiosity, and fostering philosophical dialogue across differences.

Submission Guidelines:

·        Travel support may be available for graduate students and early career professionals.

·        Abstracts (500 words) should clearly describe the project’s objectives, pedagogical approach, and relevance to the symposium theme.

·        Include bio, affiliation information, and any technical requirements. (100 words max)

·        Send proposals to [email protected] by March 14, 2026.

·        Notifications of acceptance will be sent by March 28, 2026.

Join us for a day of conversation, collaboration, and constructive disruption as we gather to reimagine what it means to teach—and to resist—through philosophy in the digital age.