Call for Abstracts
\nPhilosophy in the Wild 2026--Philadelphia Area
\nTheme: Philosophy of Academia
\nPhilosophy in the Wild invites abstract submissions for presentations at its 2026 workshop\, Philosophy of Academia. Philosophy in the Wild conferences and workshops are motivated by the idea that a shift in environment can engender a shift in perspective. Conducting inquiry outside of traditional academic spaces affords a new relation to the world we theorize and opens new avenues for thought\, method\, and community. (Photos from past events are available on our website!)
\nPlease note this is one of two Philosophy in the Wild events for 2026! The second event is being held in Wisconsin in July\; see our website for additional details.)
\nTheme Description
\nThe topic of Philosophy of Academia invites reflection on how academic inquiry is enabled and constrained by institutional structures such as universities\, professional norms\, disciplinary boundaries\, hierarchies\, and funding regimes. The workshop's aim is to show what becomes possible when inquiry is practiced beyond or alongside these structures\, whether temporarily\, partially\, or permanently&mdash\;both literally (outside of institutional spaces) and metaphorically (outside of institutional expectations).
\nInstitutions shape not only what scholarship is produced\, but who is able to participate\, whose work is recognized\, and under what material\, emotional\, and relational conditions thinking occurs. By situating inquiry in an outdoor setting\, this conference aims to foreground the conditions under which inquiry is conducted&mdash\;and to experiment with forms of engagement that include\, yet move beyond\, conventional academic formats.
\nTopics may include\, but are not limited to:
\nWhat forms of disciplinary insight are enabled or constrained by institutional power?
\nWhat is &ldquo\;professional philosophy\,&rdquo\; and is it distinct from philosophy as such? What about other disciplines?
\nInstitutional belonging\, exclusion\, precarity\, and identity
\nPhilosophical or scholarly inquiry as care work\; mentoring\, repair\, counseling\, and relational labor
\nEpistemic injustice within academia
\nGatekeeping\, harm\, and the moral psychology of academic institutions
\nPhilosophy or inquiry practiced in prisons\, community centers\, mutual aid networks\, activist spaces\, private lives\, or outdoor and wild places
\nEmbodied philosophy: bodily vulnerability\, disability\, trauma\, affect\, and philosophical or academic practice
\nThe emotional\, affective\, and cognitive conditions of thinking (stress\, safety\, joy\, rest\, play)
\nThinking with place: environment\, landscape\, and location as philosophical method
\nThe political economy of the academy: funding\, labor\, access\, and sustainability
\nImagining the future of academic inquiry beyond existing institutional forms
\nWe welcome submissions from scholars at all career stages\, as well as philosophers and scholars from other disciplines working outside traditional academic appointments. Interdisciplinary\, experimental\, reflective\, or non-standard approaches are especially encouraged.
\nConference Setting
\nThe conference will take place August 7-9\, 2026\, at Ridley Creek State Park\, near Philadelphia\, PA. Ridley Creek offers a wooded\, accessible setting close to urban transit while allowing for an immersive outdoor experience.
\nThis is a small\, outdoor\, wifi-free (i.e.\, low-tech) workshop focused on fostering community and engagement. We are open to a wide range of presentation types\, including traditional papers\, discussion-based sessions\, walking conversations\, and other experimental or creative proposals.
\nParticipants will camp at the park for the duration of the workshop. Activities will include presentations and discussions\, shared campsite-cooked meals\, and optional hiking or other outdoor activities. No prior camping experience is necessary.
\nPractical Details
\nPlease note that there will be a registration fee associated with participation to cover food and campsite costs. Philosophy in the Wild has a limited supply of camping gear available to lend on a first-come\, first-served basis. Once this runs out\, we will work with participants to help arrange affordable gear rentals if needed. Please contact us with any accessibility questions or needs&mdash\;we are committed to making the event as accessible as possible.
\nSubmission Information
\nAbstracts should be approximately 500 words
\nPlease submit abstracts in .pdf format\, prepared for anonymous review
\nIn the body of the email\, include your name\, affiliation (if any)\, and paper title
\nSubmit abstracts to: philwildphilly2026@gmail.com
\nSubmissions from members of underrepresented groups in philosophy are especially encouraged
\nMore information: Philosophy in the Wild and CFA: PhilWildPhilly2026
\nSubmission deadline: Monday\, May 4
Decisions announced: Monday\, June 1
Conference dates: August 7-9\, 2026
Organizers
\nMaja Sidzińska (University of Pennsylvania\; Rowan University)
Asil Martinez (South Puget Sound Community College)
for Philosophy in the Wild
\nContact: philwildphilly2026@gmail.com
ORGANIZER;CN="Maja Sidzińska";CN=Asil M. Martinez: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260409T055433Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260726T170000 SUMMARY:Philosophy in the Wild 2026 - Wisconsin UID:20260410T144831Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-f5d4878dd-r5qzs TZID:America/Chicago LOCATION:Langlade\, United States DESCRIPTION:Philosophy in the Wild conferences are outdoor\, low-tech events focused on fostering philosophical community and engagement. They are motivated by the idea that a shift in environment can engender a shift in perspective. Doing philosophy outside affords new relations and new avenues for thought and action. We welcome a wide range of presentation types\, including experimental presentations or other creative proposals.
\nFrom July 23 to July 26\, participants will camp at the Wolf River Refuge in Langlade\, WI. Activities will include (though will not be limited to) presentations\, discussions\, and several opportunities for outdoor excursions such as hiking\, swimming\, and biking. No prior camping experience is necessary&ndash\;we welcome both first-timers and seasoned outdoorspeople.
\nThis conference will bring together professional philosophers and grassroots environmental activists\, with the aim to catalyze collaboration and to integrate environmental ethical theory with practice. We are especially excited to include an opportunity for a field trip designed to increase participant knowledge of the local socio-ecological context.
\nThe conference will be held on the banks of the Wolf River and the ancestral land of the Ojibwe and Menominee peoples. In the 1970s\, Exxon proposed a metallic-sulfide mine on the headwaters of the Wolf River. This triggered an ultimately successful state-wide coalitional resistance movement that the sociologist Al Gedicks later dubbed &ldquo\;Wisconsin&rsquo\;s Standing Rock.&rdquo\; The waters that run past our campsite flow on to the Menominee reservation\, where it becomes a nationally protected &ldquo\;Wild and Scenic&rdquo\; waterway snaking through a forest that has been logged sustainably by the Menominee for 170 years.
\nKeynote speakers will be Anahkwet (Guy Reiter)\, Director of the Menominee Organization Menīkānaehkem\, and Cynthia Belmont\, Writer and former professor of English\, Gender &\; Women&rsquo\;s Studies at Northland College.
\nNote that this is one of two Philosophy in the Wild event this year. \;We also encourage submissions for our workshop\, "Philosophy of Academic Philosophy\," taking place at Ridley Creek State Park\, Pennsylvania\, in July. The CFA for that event is here: \;https://philevents.org/event/show/147065.
ORGANIZER;CN=Arthur Obst;CN=Linde De Vroey;CN="Maja Sidzińska";CN=Mike Gadomski: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260409T055433Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260807T030000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260809T170000 SUMMARY:Philosophy in the Wild--Philadelphia area\, PA (2026) UID:20260410T144832Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-f5d4878dd-r5qzs TZID:America/New_York LOCATION:Media\, United States DESCRIPTION:Philosophy in the Wild is hosting a workshop on the theme of Philosophy of Academia\, from August 7-9\, 2026. This is a low-tech\, fully outdoor event. Additional information is available at \;https://philosophywild.wixsite.com/philwild \;and at \;https://philosophywild.wixsite.com/philwild/cfa-pa-2026. \;
ORGANIZER;CN="Maja Sidzińska";CN=Asil M. Martinez: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR