Emmanuel Levinas and Interreligious Dialogue

To approach the Other in conversation is to welcome his expression, in which at each instant he overflows the idea a thought would carry away from it. It is therefore to receive from the Other beyond  the capacity of the I, which means exactly: to have the idea of infinity.

~Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity  

The North American Levinas Society is excited to announce that our eighth annual meeting and conference will take place July 28-July 31, 2013 at Duquesne University on the theme, “Emmanuel Levinas and Interreligious Dialogue.” As “culture wars” and regional conflicts around the world continue to enlist various religious traditions and worldviews, it seems timely to open robust, deliberative meditations on how Emmanuel Levinas’ “ethics as first philosophy” might help shape edifying interreligious dialogue for building peace and justice. We hope that scholars use this conference to take part in the ongoing conversation about the ramifications of Levinas’ thought for various faith and non-faith traditions. Although preference will be given to papers that address the conference theme, it is Society custom to consider papers and panels on any topic related to the work of Emmanuel Levinas. Our eight annual conference program will continue to include important Society traditions such as our annual Talmudic Reading from Georges Hansel, a pedagogy session, Society banquet, a film screening, and provocative plenary presentations from James Marsh, Leah Kalmanson, and others.  

CONTACT & INFORMATION 

Please direct all inquires concerning the conference to the organizers:

• Erik Garret, Duquesne University ([email protected])
• Rick Sadlier, Duquesne University ([email protected])
• Sol Neely, University of Alaska Southeast ([email protected])

General questions regarding the Society should be directed to:

• Sol Neely, NALS President ([email protected])
• Michael Paradiso-Michau, NALS Executive Secretary ([email protected])