CFP: Pokemon, Lorcana, and Magic: Philosophy and Trading Card Games -- Society for Philosophy in the Contemporary World Session at the 2027 APA Central Division Meeting

The Society for Philosophy in the Contemporary World invites submissions for an affiliated-group session at the 2027 APA Central Division Meeting in Denver, Colorado. 

This session seeks to explore our relationship with trading card games (TCGs). Over the past few years, TCGs like Pokemon, Lorcana, and Magic: The Gathering have seen a boom in popularity spurred on by an emergent collectors market. With this boom has come controversy as players and fans of these games have clashed with those who view the cards primarily as investments. Is there a right way to engage with TCGs?

We welcome submissions from all areas of philosophy and encourage applicants to interpret the session theme however they see fit. Possible topics may include, but are not limited to, reflections on play, the commodification of games, the ethics of adult participation in things designed for/marketed toward children, and cultural impact of TCGs.

Please send submissions to Dr. Richard R. Frohock at [email protected] by August 14th. Submissions should include a title for the presentation and an anonymized abstract of no more than 300 words.

All participants in affiliated-group sessions at the APA Central Division Meeting are required to register for the conference.

https://spcw.org/