CFP: Materialisms

Call for Chapters: MATERIALISMS

An Edited Volume on Philosophical Materialisms

 

Editors: Bora Erdağı and Utku Özmakas
Affiliation(s): Kocaeli University and Duzce University
Publisher: The volume is currently under consideration by two different publishers in Turkey.
Publication Language: Turkish
Contribution Languages: English and other languages by prior agreement

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Call for Chapters

In the history of thought in general, and in the history of philosophy in particular, materialism has rarely been examined as a philosophical tradition in its own right. One of the main reasons for this is that materialism has more often been made an object of inquiry by its critics than by its proponents. Systematic philosophers such as Plato, Leibniz, Descartes, Fichte, and Hegel have not only sought to explain truth and life exclusively through substantial and/or essential ideas understood in the light of universals, but have also shaped the mainstream approach adopted by histories of philosophy written to date. Consequently, the tradition of thought developed by materialism on its own terms has often remained obscured by the predominance of systematic thought.

The aim of this volume is to make visible the plurality of materialism as a mode of philosophical inquiry, its geographical contexts, its various forms, and its proponents; to develop an approach to the history of thought that departs from mainstream narratives; to resist the subordination of every element of philosophy to the service of idealism; and to compile an inventory that takes into account singularities, the unnamed, the unseen, the suppressed, the oppressed, the excluded, those rendered faceless, individuals, and the voiceless. Like all critical historiographical endeavors, our project seeks to recover the voices of those who have been marginally acknowledged or entirely excluded from the history of philosophy, and to bring to light the fundamental structures of materialisms obscured by mainstream narratives.

This volume is organized into three main sections. The first examines thinkers who have made direct and significant contributions to materialist modes of thought. The second explores how materialism has emerged in different geographical contexts, how it has contributed to the intellectual traditions of these contexts, and how it has, in turn, been shaped by them. The final section seeks to understand the contributions that have emerged through the diverse manifestations of materialism.

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Possible Themes

We welcome original contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

1) Figures of Materialism 

·       Ancient materialisms: Democritus, Epicurus, Lucretius, and others

·       Materialism in early modern philosophy

·       Hobbes

·       Gassendi

·       Locke

·       French materialism: La Mettrie, Diderot, d’Holbach

·       Bücher, Vogt, Moleschott

·       Marx and Engels

·       Lenin

·       Lukacs

·       Bloch

·       Althusser

·       Deleuze

·       Simondon

·       Foucault

·       Barad

·       Braidotti

(Note: Not all names that will be included in the book are listed here. We have already agreed with some authors on the writing of certain chapters. Please feel free to suggest names.)

2) The Geographies of Materialism

·       We welcome submissions on the materialist traditions in every country. (“Materialism in the Soviet Union,” “Materialism in Chinese Thought,” “Materialism in Spain,” etc.)

3) Aspects of Materialism

·       Musical Materialism

·       Cultural Materialism

·       Literary Materialism

·       Digital Materialism

·       Islamic Philosophy and Materialism

·       Eliminative Materialism

·       Activist Materialism

·       The Animal Question and Materialism

·       Eco-materialism

·       New materialism

·       Vital materialism

·       Feminist new materialisms

·       Materialism and posthumanism

·       Materialism and artificial intelligence

The themes listed above are suggestive rather than exhaustive. We particularly welcome proposals that introduce unconventional approaches, overlooked traditions, conceptual connections, or new interpretations of materialist philosophy.

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What We Are Looking For

We invite original research chapters that make a clear philosophical contribution to the study of materialism.

We are particularly interested in chapters that:

·       develop an original philosophical argument;

·       offer a new interpretation of an established thinker or tradition;

·       reconsider a familiar materialist position from a different perspective;

·       place distinct materialist traditions into dialogue;

·       examine tensions or contradictions within materialist thought;

·       introduce lesser-known philosophers, traditions, or debates;

·       connect historical materialisms with contemporary philosophical problems;

·       challenge conventional distinctions between materialism and its philosophical alternatives.

We welcome both historically oriented and systematic contributions.

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Languages and Translation

The volume will be published in Turkish.

We welcome original chapter proposals in English and, by prior agreement with the editors, in other languages.

Accepted chapters originally written in English or another agreed language will be translated into Turkish for publication. The editorial team will coordinate the translation process with the authors. The translations of the texts will be carried out by academics in the field of philosophy.

Authors are therefore not required to submit their chapters in Turkish.

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Submission Guidelines

For the initial stage, please submit:

• a proposed chapter title;
• an abstract of 200–300 words;
• the author's name and institutional affiliation;
• a short biographical note of approximately 100 words;
• email address;
• ORCID, if available.

The abstract should clearly identify:

1. the central question or problem addressed by the chapter;
2. its main argument or thesis;
3. its theoretical, historical, or methodological approach; and
4. its expected contribution to the volume.

Please submit proposals in English. Proposals in other languages may be considered by prior agreement with the editors.

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Important Dates

Abstract submission deadline: 15 December 2026

Notification of acceptance: 15 January 2027

Full chapter submission deadline: 1 July 2027

Expected publication: 2028

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Chapter Length

Contribution limits for the sections are variable.

            1) For “Figures of Materialism,” texts are expected to be between 6,000 and 9,000 words, including references and notes.

            2) For the “Geographies of Materialism” section, contributions should not exceed 5,000 words, including references and notes. 

            3) For the “Forms of Materialism” section, texts are expected to be between 6,000 and 9,000 words, including references and notes.

The editors may discuss variations in length with individual contributors where the subject of the chapter requires it.

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Review and Selection Process

All submitted abstracts will be evaluated by the editors according to:

·       relevance to the overall theme of the volume;

·       originality of the proposed contribution;

·       clarity and strength of the philosophical argument;

·       scholarly quality;

·       and the contribution of the chapter to the intellectual coherence and diversity of the collection.

Authors whose proposals are selected will be invited to submit full chapters.

Full chapters will undergo editorial review and, where appropriate, external peer review before final acceptance.

Acceptance of an abstract does not guarantee publication of the final chapter.

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Publication

Discussions are underway with two different publishers in Turkey regarding the publication of this collection.

Further information concerning copyright, translation rights, publication rights, and other contractual matters will be provided to contributors during the publication process.

There is no submission (or translation) fee.

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How to Submit

Please send your proposal and short biographical note to:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Utku Özmakas
Duzce University
Email: [email protected]

Please use the following subject line: CFP – Materialisms

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Keywords

Materialism; materialisms; history of philosophy; mechanic materialism; historical materialism; realism; new materialism; political philosophy; philosophy of science; contemporary philosophy.