Social and political relationships constitute the foundation of our shared communities. Yet\, scholars working in the field of animal politics have not had these social ties as their primary focus. They have predominately highlighted the systematic injustice and exploitation that blight many of our relationships with nonhuman animals. This body of work has argued extensively for the rights of animals to fair treatment and political representation.
\nAlthough crucial\, a focus on injustice leaves out the question of whether the numerous relational concepts traditionally reserved for human society &mdash\; such as civic friendship\, trust\, and solidarity &mdash\; can be meaningfully extended to nonhuman animals. The project of identifying and theorising injustice continues to be important\, but a positive vision of what a just interspecies community would look like necessitates engagement with social ties. To reimagine and build a multispecies political community that works for us all\, we must begin exploring the actual\, lived quality of the social and political relationships that bind humans and animals together\, or set us apart.
\nTo that end\, this conference seeks to investigate the everyday reality of coexistence with animals by exploring the diverse range of social\, political\, and institutional relationships between us. By thinking about the limits and potential of existing interspecies encounters\, we hope to unearth the conceptual and critical resources needed to rethink our shared social and political life with animals.
\nDoing so requires us to engage with the idea that we are co-participants who share in social ties with nonhuman others. But there are profound challenges to any possible vision of mutuality beyond humanity. For example\, can the inescapable asymmetries in power\, or the significant communicative and epistemic barriers between species\, be overcome to realise a genuine interspecies politics?
\nWe will bring together scholars of animal ethics\, animal politics\, and cognate disciplines to explore these and related questions\, including but not limited to:
\nIn what ways do human-animal social relationships contribute to a flourishing political community? How do these relationships serve individual and collective interests in health\, happiness\, and community?
\nCan positive relational concepts like civic friendship or co-citizenship be meaningfully extended to non-human animals? Are interspecies relations of trust\, civility\, and tolerance possible?
\nHow\, if at all\, should negative relational concepts like aggression\, incivility\, or contempt be applied to animals? If animals can be our companions and our friends\, can they also be our enemies?
\nIs interspecies solidarity possible? Can humans and animals have mutual goodwill towards one another? \; Can we have alliances with animals?
\nWhy might mutuality with domesticated animals differ from with wild animals? Should we pursue relationships with wild animals\, or is mutuality undesirable? On what terms might it be acceptable?
\nCan humans and animals engage in mutually creative and cultural relationships? Can humans and animals play\, learn and co-create?
\nAre relations of mutuality possible if there are profound asymmetries in power and cognitive ability between humans and animals? Can farmers\, for example\, be friends with those animals that they exploit? Can humans be friends with mice?
\nHow do the concepts of love and care challenge or complicate traditional ways of thinking about justice for animals? \;
\nHow should ethical theory account for the inherent dangers and exploitation present in many human-animal relationships\, even those defined by intimacy? Can animals be exploited? Do animals have an interest in noninferiority?
\nHow might emerging technologies facilitate\, improve or harm relationships with animals? How\, if at all\, should AI be used to transform relationships with animals? How might animals need protection from these developments?
\nThis is the latest in a series of longstanding annual &lsquo\;Animal Politics&rsquo\; conferences. Details on past events (since 2010) can be found here: https://josh-milburn.com/animal-politics/ \;
\nOrganisers: Alasdair Cochrane (University of Sheffield)\; Steve Cooke (University of Leicester)\; Sara van Goozen (University of York)\; Josh Milburn (Loughborough University)\; Angie Pepper (Roehampton University)\; Matt Perry (University of Sheffield).
\nPlease send anonymised abstracts of no more than 300 words to m.w.perry@sheffield.ac.uk by end of day Friday 12th June. \;Please include your name and affiliation in the body of your email. \;Abstracts should be suitable for a 30 minute presentation and will be subject to a blind review process. Successful proposals will be notified by 30th June.
\nThere are no fees to attend\, but please register or submit an abstract by emailing the organisers. Refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided. This conference is gratefully funded by a Mind Association Conference Grant\, as well as a contribution from a Wellcome Trust grant on Multispecies Mutualisms held at the University of Sheffield.
\nThis has allowed us to cover a small number of ECR/graduate student speaker fees consisting of accommodation and dinner (but excluding travel). The details of how to apply for this will be sent out with successful abstract responses. \;
\nWe are committed to making the event welcoming for everyone by adhering to the BPA/SWiP Guidelines for Accessible Conferences and the BPA/SWiP Good Practice Scheme. For more information\, please get in touch with the organisers.
ORGANIZER;CN=Matthew W. Perry;CN=Alasdair Cochrane;CN=Angie Pepper;CN=Josh Milburn;CN=Sara Van Goozen;CN=Steve Cooke: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260430T112855Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260908T150000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260909T170000 SUMMARY:Social Ties in Animal Politics: Mutuality Beyond Humanity UID:20260430T114045Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-6b96c54f56-bljdq TZID:Europe/London LOCATION:The Wave\, Sheffield\, United Kingdom DESCRIPTION:Social and political relationships constitute the foundation of our shared communities. Yet\, scholars working in the field of animal politics have not had these social ties as their primary focus. They have predominately highlighted the systematic injustice and exploitation that blight many of our relationships with nonhuman animals. This body of work has argued extensively for the rights of animals to fair treatment and political representation.
\nAlthough crucial\, a focus on injustice leaves out the question of whether the numerous relational concepts traditionally reserved for human society &mdash\; such as civic friendship\, trust\, and solidarity &mdash\; can be meaningfully extended to nonhuman animals. The project of identifying and theorising injustice continues to be important\, but a positive vision of what a just interspecies community would look like necessitates engagement with social ties. To reimagine and build a multispecies political community that works for us all\, we must begin exploring the actual\, lived quality of the social and political relationships that bind humans and animals together\, or set us apart.
\nTo that end\, this conference seeks to investigate the everyday reality of coexistence with animals by exploring the diverse range of social\, political\, and institutional relationships between us. By thinking about the limits and potential of existing interspecies encounters\, we hope to unearth the conceptual and critical resources needed to rethink our shared social and political life with animals.
\nDoing so requires us to engage with the idea that we are co-participants who share in social ties with nonhuman others. But there are profound challenges to any possible vision of mutuality beyond humanity. For example\, can the inescapable asymmetries in power\, or the significant communicative and epistemic barriers between species\, be overcome to realise a genuine interspecies politics?
\nWe will bring together scholars of animal ethics\, animal politics\, and cognate disciplines to explore these and related questions\, including but not limited to:
\nIn what ways do human-animal social relationships contribute to a flourishing political community? How do these relationships serve individual and collective interests in health\, happiness\, and community?
\nCan positive relational concepts like civic friendship or co-citizenship be meaningfully extended to non-human animals? Are interspecies relations of trust\, civility\, and tolerance possible?
\nHow\, if at all\, should negative relational concepts like aggression\, incivility\, or contempt be applied to animals? If animals can be our companions and our friends\, can they also be our enemies?
\nIs interspecies solidarity possible? Can humans and animals have mutual goodwill towards one another? \; Can we have alliances with animals?
\nWhy might mutuality with domesticated animals differ from with wild animals? Should we pursue relationships with wild animals\, or is mutuality undesirable? On what terms might it be acceptable?
\nCan humans and animals engage in mutually creative and cultural relationships? Can humans and animals play\, learn and co-create?
\nAre relations of mutuality possible if there are profound asymmetries in power and cognitive ability between humans and animals? Can farmers\, for example\, be friends with those animals that they exploit? Can humans be friends with mice?
\nHow do the concepts of love and care challenge or complicate traditional ways of thinking about justice for animals? \;
\nHow should ethical theory account for the inherent dangers and exploitation present in many human-animal relationships\, even those defined by intimacy? Can animals be exploited? Do animals have an interest in noninferiority?
\nHow might emerging technologies facilitate\, improve or harm relationships with animals? How\, if at all\, should AI be used to transform relationships with animals? How might animals need protection from these developments?
\nThis is the latest in a series of longstanding annual &lsquo\;Animal Politics&rsquo\; conferences. Details on past events (since 2010) can be found here: https://josh-milburn.com/animal-politics/ \;
\nOrganisers: Alasdair Cochrane (University of Sheffield)\; Steve Cooke (University of Leicester)\; Sara van Goozen (University of York)\; Josh Milburn (Loughborough University)\; Angie Pepper (Roehampton University)\; Matt Perry (University of Sheffield).
\nPlease send anonymised abstracts of no more than 300 words to m.w.perry@sheffield.ac.uk by end of day Friday 12th June. \;Please include the title of your paper\, your name and your affiliation in the body of your email. Abstracts should be suitable for a 30 minute presentation and will be subject to a blind review process. Successful proposals will be notified by 30th June.
\nThere are no fees to attend\, but please register or submit an abstract by emailing the organisers. Refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided. This conference is gratefully funded by a Mind Association Conference Grant\, as well as a contribution from a Wellcome Trust grant on Multispecies Mutualisms held at the University of Sheffield. \;
\nThis has allowed us to cover a small number of ECR/graduate student speaker fees consisting of accommodation and dinner (but excluding travel). The details of how to apply for this will be sent out with successful abstract responses. \;
\nWe are committed to making the event welcoming for everyone by adhering to the BPA/SWiP Guidelines for Accessible Conferences and the BPA/SWiP Good Practice Scheme. For more information\, please get in touch with the organisers.
ORGANIZER;CN=Matthew W. Perry;CN=Alasdair Cochrane;CN=Angie Pepper;CN=Josh Milburn;CN=Sara Van Goozen;CN=Steve Cooke: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260430T112855Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20261120T230000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20261120T230000 SUMMARY:Beliefless Spirituality Capstone Conference UID:20260430T114046Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-6b96c54f56-bljdq TZID:Europe/London LOCATION:Halifax Hall\, Sheffield\, United Kingdom DESCRIPTION:The Beliefless Spirituality Project is hosting a Capstone Conference 18-19 March 2027 at Halifax Hall in Sheffield\, UK. The conference will feature presentations of research that has been conducted by the project team. We also invite abstract submissions for five presentations of new research on the project theme by individuals beyond the project team.
\nSubmission Details
\nAbstracts should be no more than 500 words (not including references)\, suitable for anonymous review\, and should be submitted to Ryan Byerly (t.r.byerly@sheffield.ac.uk) by 20 November 2026 as word or pdf attachments. The subject line of the email should read &ldquo\;Abstract Submission&rdquo\;\, and authors should mention in their email if they are a postgraduate student. Authors will be notified by 15 January 2027 if their abstract has been accepted. The project will fund travel\, lodging\, and subsistence costs of one author of each accepted submission to attend the conference. There are also prizes available for accepted submissions: $500 for presenting a paper at the conference based on the abstract\, and $500 for submitting a paper based on the presentation to a peer-reviewed journal by 30 June 2027. Abstracts will be evaluated based on their academic merit and fit with the Beliefless Spirituality Project themes.
\nProject Themes
\nThe Beliefless Spirituality Project is concerned with forms of spiritual engagement that are based not on beliefs of religious or spiritual claims but instead on alternative states that may play a similar role to beliefs in contributing to religious or spiritual practices. For instance\, several philosophers have argued that beliefs differ in important ways from acceptances\, assumptions\, imaginings\, credences\, or hopes\, and yet the latter states\, directed toward religious or spiritual claims\, may enable spiritual practices despite the absence of belief of religious or spiritual claims. For instance\, an individual who is in doubt about whether there is a loving God who has benefitted them\, and does not believe that there is such a God\, might nonetheless hope there is such a God\, or assume that there is\, and thank God for the good things in their life on the basis of this beliefless hope or assumption. Likewise\, an individual might belieflessly imagine\, or accept as a working hypothesis\, or have a credence of a certain threshold\, that their loved ones live on in an afterlife\, and seek to communicate with them on this basis.
\nThe potential for such beliefless forms of spirituality may be especially relevant for diverse segments of the population who experience belief-cancelling doubt about religious or spiritual claims\, including some religious and spiritual individuals\, spiritual-but-not-religious individuals\, agnostics\, and atheists. For them\, beliefless spirituality may be the only pathway to spiritual engagement. Moreover\, beliefless spirituality may be related in important ways to aspects of individuals&rsquo\; well-being. For instance\, certain forms of beliefless spirituality may offer a pathway toward enhanced well-being for people who are not capable of engaging in comparable belief-based forms of spirituality that are associated with well-being gains. Or\, people who engage in beliefless spirituality may manifest greater intellectual or spiritual humility\, or may experience less belonging to a religion or spiritual group\, than people who engage in comparable belief-based spirituality.
\nThe Beliefless Spirituality Project seeks to understand which specific forms of beliefless spirituality are available to people\, what makes these forms of beliefless spirituality distinct\, and how such forms of beliefless spirituality are related to individuals&rsquo\; well-being. We therefore welcome abstracts for papers addressing these themes. We welcome abstracts using the methods of philosophy\, the cognitive sciences\, or psychology. We welcome submissions from academics at any career stage\, and intend to select at least two submissions from postgraduate students. We aim to select at least one submission addressing psychedelic spirituality.
\nQuestions
\nQuestions about the project or abstract submission process may be directed to Ryan Byerly.
ORGANIZER;CN=T. Ryan Byerly: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260430T112855Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20270318T090000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20270319T170000 SUMMARY:Beliefless Spirituality Capstone Conference UID:20260430T114047Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-6b96c54f56-bljdq TZID:Europe/London LOCATION:Halifax Hall\, Sheffield\, United Kingdom ORGANIZER;CN=T. Ryan Byerly: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR