CFP: “Tracing Genealogy” — Warwick Continental Philosophy Conference 2026

CALL FOR PAPERS

Warwick Annual Continental Philosophy Conference (WCPC)

Tracing Genealogy

Event Type: Graduate Conference (On-site)

Location: University of Warwick, United Kingdom

Conference Dates: 29th–30th June 2026

Topic Areas: Continental Philosophy; Genealogy; Nietzsche; Foucault

Keynote Speakers

Alexander Prescott-Couch (University of Oxford)

Catarina Dutilh Novaes (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Conference Theme

Within Continental philosophy, genealogy is most associated with Nietzsche’s critical historicisations and/or psychologisations of our moral practices and beliefs—and with Foucault’s subsequent ‘histories of the present’ investigations into the contingent development of contemporary institutions and the discourses surrounding them. However, the notion of genealogy is not confined to the Nietzschean tradition. David Hume’s ‘experimental’ enquiries into the origins of our religious and causal beliefs—offering more traditional debunking arguments—are also increasingly considered to come under its methodological umbrella.

Conversely, Bernard Williams, drawing on Locke and Hobbes, develops a vindicatory form of genealogy that seeks to legitimate our existing ethical virtues by uncovering the genuine moral and political needs they address. More recently, Julian Ratcliffe has labelled a strand of contemporary Anglophone work—associated with figures such as Brandom, Dutilh Novaes, and Queloz—rationalising genealogy. This approach seeks to uncover normative commitments latent within existing conceptual resources, thereby connecting genealogy to themes of Hegelian reconciliation and Carnapian conceptual engineering.

The conference aims to bring together work that examines genealogical approaches and the fundamental questions they raise about critique, normativity, historical explanation, and philosophical method, highlighting their continuing importance across Continental and Anglophone philosophy.

For detailed information and further instruction, please visit: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/philosophy/research/activities/postkantian/events/wcpc/

For any enquiries, please contact: [email protected].

Submission Guidelines

Your submission should include:

1.       A fully anonymised paper suitable for a 30-min presentation (max. 3,500 words, excluding bibliography and/or abstract).

2.       A separate cover sheet containing:

o   Name

o   Institutional affiliation

o   Contact information

o   Paper title

o   Brief biographical note (max. 300 words).

Please send all documents to the WCPC committee at [email protected]. Please use ‘Submission: Tracing Genealogy’ in the subject line and title your submitted paper as follows: WCPC_short_title (e.g.: WCPC_Nietzsche’s_Genealogies).

We also warmly welcome detailed abstracts that demonstrate strong relevance, originality, and a promising argument.

Submission & Notification Timeline

·         Submission deadline: 18:00 (GMT) on 6th May 2026

·         Acceptance notification: 15th May 2026

Travel Bursary

Subject to funding, a limited number of partial travel bursaries may be available.Applicants from junior, non-traditional, or underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to indicate this in their cover sheets and will be given priority for support.

Organising Committee

Rozemin Keshvani (Lead Organiser)

Keyu Qiu (Lead Organiser)

Oscar Crocker

Shifan Zhou

Sam Ronalds

Additional Information

The WCPC is an annual event within The Centre for Research in Post-Kantian European Philosophy (University of Warwick). The organising committee adheres to the BPA and SWIP guidelines on equality, diversity, accessibility, and environmental sustainability.