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Call For Papers

Call for Papers

THE WORK OF PHENOMENOLOGY AND THE WORK OF ART

ANNUAL GRADUATE CONFERENCE IN PHENOMENOLOGY – UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX

June 12th-13th

Keynote Speakers: Wayne Martin (University of Essex) and Paul Davies (University of Sussex)

**Update: There is no longer a conference fee for speakers due to our receiving additional funding from the University of Sussex’s Doctoral School.**

We are welcoming submissions for the 6th Annual University of Sussex Graduate Conference in Phenomenology. This year the conference theme is ‘The Work of Phenomenology and the Work of Art’. The title involves a deliberate ambiguity. We are interested both in papers on what works of art or phenomenology can do, and in the practice of both phenomenological research and the creation of an artwork, as well as investigations into the connections between these topics.

We invite abstracts from those working in and around issues occurring at the intersection between phenomenology and the philosophy of art, or aesthetics. Abstracts providing a critical look at the philosophical resources brought to bear by phenomenology as a method for engaging with art are also very welcome. We also encourage abstracts from those working outside philosophy departments. The conference is conceived of as inter-disciplinary, reflecting the hypothesis that if it is productive for the phenomenologist to engage with the artwork, then might it not be just as productive for the artist or critic to engage with phenomenological research?

Priority will be given to current doctoral students, but we also welcome submissions from postdoctoral researchers, as well as MA students.

The conference provides graduate students an opportunity to present their work and receive extensive feedback from peers and specialists in the field. It is a two-day conference, organised by graduate students for graduate students. The conference will follow a single ‘stream’ in terms of structure, ensuring that every speaker has the opportunity to address all of the attendees. We aim to bring together postgraduates engaging in original research in phenomenology and art, and to promote further work in this field.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Phenomenological engagements with works of art, literature and music
  • The extent to which artistic practice might constitute phenomenological work itself
  • The relationship between art and truth
  • The extent to which non-phenomenological engagements with art might constitute criticism of phenomenology as method
  • Phenomenology and politically or religiously oriented art
  • Phenomenology, hermeneutics and art criticism

Submissions:

Submissions should be ready for blind review and should consist of two separate documents containing the following:

  1. The title and the abstract (maximum 500 words) of your presentation. The abstract should state and explain the topic of the presentation and the way in which it contributes and relates to the themes of the conference. This document should not include your name or institutional affiliation.
  2. A separate cover letter that includes: the title of your presentation; your name; institutional affiliation; current academic status; and contact information.

Submissions should be sent to r.dunphy@sussex.ac.uk no later than the 30th of March 2015.

Useful information:

The conference will be held at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.

Notifications of acceptance will be sent by the 3rd of May 2015.

Accepted speakers will be allocated 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes in which to deliver their paper and 20 minutes for Q&A.

This event is open to and free for the public.

Supported by the Doctoral School’s Researcher-Led Initiative (RLI) Fund www.sussex.ac.uk/doctoralschool/internal/funding/rli