Phenomenological Transfers

Phenomenological Transfers:

Representations, Images, and Social Imaginaries

The transfer of models, techniques, methods, concepts, know-hows and theories is one of the central features of current scientific knowledge production and it is prominent in interdisciplinary research practices. For example, knowledge transfers occur when psychologists' tool sets explain economic agents' behaviors (Herfeld and Lisciandra 2019) or when phenomenological concepts and techniques serve to improve medical practices or evaluate ethical dilemmas (Svenaeus 2021). Other transfers from or towards phenomenology include the eidetic analyses of image consciousness in visual studies (Flusser 1983; Wiesing 2005; Ferencz-Flatz 2016); the transformation of transcendental phenomenology pushed forward by media studies (Waldenfels 2006; Alloa 2011; Majkut 2010); the application of phenomenological techniques for understanding the transformation of social imaginaries (Ricoeur 1986); and the questioning of the limits of phenomenology by social imaginaries, which give way to the generative field (Steinbock 2017). The term “transfer” thus designates the extension of theoretical resources to domains other than the ones in which they were initially formulated.

In this conference series, we will discuss the transfer of theoretical resources between phenomenology and other theoretically or practically oriented disciplines. We posit the working hypothesis that interdisciplinary collaborations between phenomenology and other disciplines can be best conceptualized in terms of horizontal knowledge transfers. The call is open to contributions encompassing the interdisciplinary transfer of phenomenological concepts, methods, and techniques. However, special attention will be paid to three key concepts in current scientific research: representation, social imaginary and image. We seek to explore the similarities and variations of these transdisciplinary concepts employed in the following (inter)disciplinary research fields: cognitive science and philosophy of mind; social sciences and political philosophy; and media studies.

The conference series features presentations both of young and senior researchers. They are welcome to present a draft paper and discuss their future contributions for a dossier. The call is open for contributions centered on the following guiding topics

1. Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science:

• The internalist-externalist debate on mental representations
• Phenomenological and enactive views of representations
• The future of representation in Cognitive Science

2. Social Sciences and Political Philosophy:

• Ideology and utopia as phenomenological social concepts
• Political representativity and social institution
• Phenomenological generativity and social philosophy

3. Media Studies and Phenomenology of the imagination:

• Media as techniques of imagination
• The pertinence and future of Diaphenomenology 
• The intermediate status of images: between signs and percepta

Deadlines and dates:

• Submission deadline (abstracts): December 10th, 2021

• Notification to authors: January 2022

• Date of the Seminar: Saturdays between March 5th and June 11th 2022

Further information:

Presentations can be held in English and Spanish. Attending the conference is free of charge. Abstracts of 300 words or less, besides the title, keywords (max. 5) and a short bibliography in Chicago 17th ed. must be sent in an anonymised PDF for blind peer reviewing to [email protected]. Information about the authors including name(s), institution, degree and guiding question(s) has to be sent to the email. Please contact us with questions regarding submission, registration procedures or other matters.

References

Alloa, E. 2011. Das durchscheinende Bild. Konturen einer medialen Phänomenologie. Zürich: Diaphanes. (La imagen diáfana. Fenomenología de los medios visuales, transl. by N. Bornhauser. Santiago de Chile: Metales Pesados)

Ferencz-Flatz, C. 2016. Sehen als-ob. Husserls Bildlehre zwischen Ästhetik und Pragmatik. Nordhausen: Traugott Bautz.

Flusser, V. 1983. Für eine Philosophie der Fotografie. Göttingen: European Photography.

Herfeld, C., and C. Lisciandra. 2019. “Knowledge Transfer and Its Contexts.” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 77: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2019.06.002.

Majkut, P. 2010. “Introduction.” In Phenomenology and Media. An Anthology of Essays from Glimpse, edited by  P. Majkut, and A. Carrillo, 15—20. Bucharest: Zeta Books.

Ricoeur, P. 1986. Lectures on Ideology and Utopia. New York: Columbia University Press.

Steinbock, A. 2017. Limit-Phenomena and Phenomenology in Husserl. London, New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

Waldenfels, B. 2006. Grundmotive einer Phänomenologie des Fremden. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.