Cambridge Graduate Conference in Political Thought and Intellectual History - "In Search of Refuge"

When in danger, humans search for places of refuge — whether in states, homes, or religions. Political communities have their origins in our desire for shelter. Throughout history, what have we thought of as places of refuge? We have many reasons to seek refuge. Sometimes, we leave our homes in search of greater economic or educational opportunities. Other times, the places we knew as home no longer exist. How have people justified the need to leave, and what legitimises appeals for refuge in the eyes of receiving states and communities? And what happens when a place of refuge turns out to be just as unsafe as the place we have left behind? 

This year’s conference will focus on these questions through the lens of political theory and the history of political thought. It will showcase papers addressing such topics as the relation between refuge and territorial sovereignty, statehood, religious and civil conflict, trade and the market, the family, sexual politics, racial politics, and the environment. It will also take account of these questions in order to address some of the basic themes in political theory, such as the purpose of civil association, the relation between protection and obedience, and the boundaries of legitimate force.