CFP: Free and Inclusive Speech in Times of Polarization / Moral Philosophy and Politics

Moral Philosophy and Politics

Call for Papers: Free and Inclusive Speech in Times of Polarization

GUEST EDITOR

• Patti Tamara Lenard, University of Ottawa, Canada

It is already well-repeated that democratic states are increasingly polarized. One manifestation of this polarization is in the nature of public discourse, which is increasingly aggressive, disrespectful and ugly — more and more interlocutors call each other names, wish ill on each other, and call for their respective “cancellations.” This special issue focuses on how we can have genuine political and moral conversations in these times of heightened sensitivity, frustration and conflict over basic values and norms. Our starting point is the suggestion that earlier political theorization of the conditions for respectful deliberation, and the strategies to protect speech/expression therein, require updating for the present moment.

We invite submissions between 4,000 and 10,000 words.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Paper Submission Deadline: February 1, 2027

TOPICS OF INTEREST

In light of that, we are seeking contributions that consider questions such as:

• What are the normative grounds of free and inclusive speech? What are speech-related harms? What (if any) is the tension between inclusion and free expression?

• How can/should we protect freedom of speech/expression in diverse, democratic, states, in the present moment?

• How can we ensure that tense political conversations can both be respectful and inclusive?

• What duties do both speakers and listeners have to ensure that these conversations are respectful and inclusive? Do these duties change if the speech acts transpire in digital contexts? (What else changes if we are considering speech in digital contexts?)

• How should specific institutions, like universities, foster an inclusive space for political and cultural conversations? What does academic freedom mean, what is it for, and how can we protect it? What do we do in cases of conflict between inclusion and academic freedom/freedom of speech?

• What principles (if any) should guide conversations across political, economic, and social spaces, about cultural, religious and political differences? How can diverse groups themselves interact respectfully around these differences?

SUBMISSION

• To submit, go to https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mopp.

• All submissions will undergo MOPP’s double-blind peer review process.• Papers will only be accepted for publication if they are approved for publication by both the guest editor and the journal’s editors.

• Further information on the journal’s publication policy can be found in the Publication Ethics Statement.

• Please adhere to our Instructions for Authors when preparing your manuscript.

• More information on how to submit can be found here: Moral Philosophy and Politics. If you are unsure whether your paper might fit within the special issue or have other questions related to the topic, please email the guest editor:

• Patti Tamara Lenard, [email protected]

In case of any other queries, please contact our journal coordinator: Juliusz Rogowski

([email protected]).