Normativity and Gender Workshop

It is natural to theorize gender within a normative framework: gender is not a neutral classificatory category, but one which encodes evaluative assumptions, sets standards of correctness, and generates reasons and obligations for individuals. At the same time, philosophical thought about normativity itself - for instance, about the nature of agency, reasons, authority, or objectivity - has been shaped by socially situated assumptions. As a result, the intersection between gender and normativity as areas of philosophical theorizing can be particularly fruitful, enhancing our understanding of both categories and motivating revisions to our existing accounts of either.    We invite abstracts for three contributed talks that exlore issues concerning normativity, gender, and their connections. Abstracts that lie in the intersections between different fields or subfields of philosophy are also welcome. Possible topics can include but are not limited to:   

• the nature of gender norms 
• feminist or queer approaches to meta-ethics 
• the role of normativity in the metaphysics of gender 
• normativity and the use of gender terms 
• amelioration as a normative project 

Submissions from underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged.

Abstract details 

Length: 750-1000 words, suitable for a 30-minute presentation with a 45-minute Q&A, or a 45-minute presentation with a 30-minute Q&A. 

Deadline: 15 March 2026 

Notification of Acceptance: End of March 

Submission: Please submit your abstracts to [email protected]. The submission should be attached to the email in .pdf format and prepared for blind review. Please include the following information separately in the body of the email: your name(s), affiliation(s), the title of your talk, and whether you consider yourself to be a member of an underrepresented group. 

About the workshop 

The workshop is in-person only. The venues are accessible and childcare is available during the presentations, if required.  

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide monetary assistance for travel or accommodation.   

This workshop is organized by the Normativity, Gender, and Mathematics project, funded by Kone Foundation, and the Quasi-Realism project, funded by the Research Council of Finland.  

Organizers: Laura Nicoară, Siiri Porkkala, Jenni Rytilä, Teemu Toppinen, Vilma Venesmaa. 

For any questions, please contact the organizers at [email protected].