CFP: Political Correctness—Towards a Global Ethos - Special Issue Philosophies

The aim of this special issue it to investigate the essence of political correctness, if any. This is a philosophical approach. The idea is not to claim or argue that it is wrong or right, but to understand what it is and/or what it can be. 

At a time of increasing globalization, with interconnectedness and communication intensifying, humanity is beginning to unify. It is interesting to inquire according to which ethos. The expression political correctness reflects a process wherein moral and religious values increasingly share the stage with, and often defer to, more general principles and strictures governing social conduct. But what are these principles and strictures? In which sense are they proposed, formulated, followed, enforced by politicians and other social actors? 

Political correctness is presently culturally embedded in a particular socio-historical context, that of the political debates of Western Societies. It stigmatizes some values and promotes norms from the point of view of these societies. We may wonder if it will evolve, and how, into a more open and inclusive perspective.

It is important to investigate the concepts, assumptions, contentions and controversies of political correctness, to understand how it is practiced, how it develops, how it can be constructed. Many issues can be addressed:

• Origin and development of the expression “political correctness” and its correlated semantical network in lay thinking and in the public debate.

• The sensible topics of political correctness: liberty, economy, religion, human and animal rights, sexuality, health, education, nature preservation.

• The, so to say, “ten commandments” of political correctness: what is good or/and bad according to political correctness, which actions, for which reasons in what contexts? And why?

• How political correctness is related to central philosophical questions, such as the meaning of life, truth and happiness.

If you wish to respond to this call, send an abstract to [email protected] and/or [email protected] by April 1st. If your abstract is accepted you will have until September 16, 2016 to send a full paper.

Prof. Dr. Jean-Yves Beziau
Dr. Thalia Magioglou
Guest Editors - Special Issue of the journal Philosophies