CFP: Joy, Care, and Resistance

Joy, Care, and Resistance

Forty-Third International Social Philosophy Conference
A Joint Conference of the North American Society for Social Philosophy (NASSP)
and the Canadian Society Working for Inclusion in Philosophy (CSWIP)

University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
July 16–18, 2026

Call for Abstracts

NASSP and CSWIP invite abstract submissions for proposed presentations at their joint 2026 conference. Proposals in all areas of social philosophy (broadly construed) are welcome, whether contemporary or historical, Western or non-Western, analytic or Continental.

Keynote speakers will be Professor Kathryn Norlock (Trent University) and Professor Quill Kukla (Georgetown University).

Conference Theme

The conference theme is Joy, Care, and Resistance. While submissions in all areas of social philosophy are welcome, papers engaging this theme are especially encouraged. Possible topics include:

·       Solidarity, coalition-building, and allyship

·       Loneliness and connection across difference

·       Social trust and epistemic environments

·       Communities of resistance and care (real and digital)

·       Indigenous, decolonial, Mexican, and borderlands philosophy

·       Chaos and disruption as forms of creation

·       Joy, laughter, and hope as forms of resistance

·       Play and world-traveling

·       Social and liberatory emotions and virtue

·       Prefigurative politics

·       Reform versus revolution

·       Nonideal theory in ethics, social, and political philosophy

·       Abolition and resistance to carceral logics

·       The recognition of care labor

Submission Deadlines

Abstracts must be submitted on or before March 1, 2026. Acceptance and rejection decisions will be emailed by March 31, 2026.

Submissions are open to members and non-members. However, accepted presenters must be members of either NASSP or CSWIP in order to present at the conference.

Submission Types Individual Submissions

Individual abstracts (250–500 words) should be submitted via the 2026 NASSP+CSWIP Abstract Submission Form. Abstracts should:

·       Be prepared for anonymous review

·       Present a clear and engaging thesis, argument, or perspective

·       Motivate the approach by outlining the argument or explaining the usefulness of the theoretical framework

·       Be clearly written, avoiding jargon where possible and explaining it when necessary

·       Demonstrate engagement with relevant literature

NASSP will host an optional Zoom workshop on abstract writing in January 2026. Dates will be announced.

Panel Submissions

Panels typically consist of three presenters addressing a shared theme, followed by discussion and audience Q&A. Alternative formats are welcome, including workshops, moderated discussions, single papers with commentators, author-meets-critics sessions, or sessions honoring a scholar’s career.

Panel submissions should be submitted via the 2026 NASSP+CSWIP Panel Submission Form and include:

·       An abstract for the overall panel (250–500 words)

·       A description of the panel format with time estimates (maximum two hours total)

·       Abstracts for each participant (250–500 words each)

·       Names of participants willing to attend, if applicable

Social Philosophy Today

Papers presented at the conference are eligible for consideration for publication in Social Philosophy Today, a peer-reviewed journal published electronically and available in print on demand. The journal is not a proceedings volume; only papers recommended through peer review will be accepted.

NASSP Graduate Student Prize

NASSP awards an annual prize of $800 for the best graduate student paper presented at the conference. To be considered, full papers of no more than 3,000 words must be submitted by March 1, 2026 to [email protected].

Submissions must include a word count. Prize recipients must be enrolled in a degree program beyond the BA at the time of the conference. Coauthored papers are eligible only if all authors meet this requirement.

Support for International Presenters

Conference registration fees will be waived for presenters traveling from outside the United States and Canada.

Accessibility and Inclusivity

NASSP and CSWIP are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible intellectual community. Accommodations will be available in residence halls or nearby hotels. Conference spaces are wheelchair accessible, transcription will be provided for keynote sessions, food will be vegan/vegetarian, and a quiet room will be available.

Participants may indicate required presentation technologies or accommodations on the registration form. All information will be kept confidential.

Contact Information

Questions: [email protected]

Program Committee

·       Dan Lowe, University of Michigan (Chair)

·       Nikki Ramsoomair, Dalhousie University

·       Kevin Timpe, Calvin University

·       Theresa Tobin, Marquette University

Local Hosts

Katy Fulfer and Chris Lowry, University of Waterloo