Bioethics and the Border 2027: Contested Spaces

Call for Abstracts

Bioethics and the Border 2027

The University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley

February 5-6, 2027 | Edinburg, Texas (and online)

Theme: Contested Spaces

The Bioethics MS and Department of Philosophy at the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley invites submissions for the 2027 Bioethics and the Border Graduate Conference, to be held February 5-6, 2027. This first annual conference explores the ethical challenges and opportunities that emerge in border contexts, broadly construed to include geographic, legal, political, cultural, social, technological, and conceptual spaces.

Each year the conference will examine a different aspect of bioethics and the border. The 2027 theme, “Contested Spaces,” invites participants to consider places, practices, identities and institutions where competing values, interests and claims create ethical tensions. These include but are not limited to geographical, legal, and political borders, healthcare settings, research environments, public health systems, digital spaces, and communities experiencing social and political marginalization.

We welcome submissions for both in-person and online presentationsfrom graduate students across disciplines such as bioethics, philosophy, medicine, nursing, public health, law, anthropology, sociology, the life sciences and related fields.

Submission Guidelines

Authors should submit an abstract of 300-500 words describing the work they wish to present at the conference, including original research andworks in progress.

Please include:

• Title of presentation
• Author(s) names and institutional affiliation(s)
• Abstract (300-500 words)
• Preferred presentation format: Short talk of 20 minutes (in person); Short talk of 20 minutes (online); Poster presentation (in person only)

The conference is committed to increasing accessibility and welcomes both in-person and online presentation. All talks will take place in Central Time (USA).

Submission Information: Via google forms: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSft_vz3867ltdojencJrXmcfa2mKB2PRIBwYHGjyRT7FlaX5w/viewform?usp=preview 

Important Dates:

• Abstract submission deadline: December 1, 2026
• Notification of Acceptance: December18,2026
• Conference Dates: February 5-6, 2027

For questions please contact:[email protected]