CALL FOR PAPERS FOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Aesthetics in Times of Turmoil: A Conference on Intersections between Art and Ecology

March 22–23, 2024

CENTRE FOR PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE

King’s University College at Western University, Canada

The conference will include keynote addresses from Paul Harris (Loyola Marymount University), Nina Zitani (Western University), and Jan Zwicky (Emerita, University of Victoria).

THEME

During intensifying ecological turbulence and geopolitical conflict, entrenched habits of thought might suggest that questions of the aesthetic and the beautiful are dispensable luxuries. Such attitudes presume an image of the aesthetic complicit with what Levinas calls a “dimension of evasion” and thus assume a metaphysical separation between human cultural practice and natural processes that is one conceptual root of ecological dysfunction.  

While such attitudes are understandable given the gravity of our interlocking planetary crises, they are based on deeply mistaken assumptions about aesthetics, the relation between contemplation of beauty and images of nature, and questions of spirit and sensibility in fostering ecological-being. This conference begins from the premise that the ecological crisis is partly a crisis in aesthetics. Even as part of this crisis lies in confusion over what is considered material necessities, it also arises through a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of beauty in fostering awareness of interconnections, human limits, and experience of the good as distinct from self-centered ego gratification. For these reasons, we suggest that the experience of beauty is a necessity that has been rendered contingent, while the possession of excessive and empty consumer goods are contingencies that have been packaged as necessities for happiness.

Such claims are starting points for ontological, ethical, historical, transcultural, and phenomenological inquiry. How might aesthetic experience be conceived in terms of ontologies of nature that emphasize its creative and dynamic force and agency? In what sense is aesthetic experience necessary for cultivating ecological virtues of deep attention to place? Can we conceive of art practices to foster relational ways of being that challenge the embedded anthropocentrism of dominant infrastructures and institutions? Is the marginalization of aesthetic experience part of the early modern European historical movement that set into motion the extractive, exploitative, and imperial ideologies still driving the present planetary crisis? In what sense is this marginalization furthered by the disconnect between the material conditions of art practice and packaging the aesthetic as a high-status consumer item? Is the subjective turn in European aesthetics indicative of a rupturing from earlier traditions, and if so, how might we recover a sense of aesthetic experience as part of a shared sense of the ecological as sacred? Is such a conception of beauty still relevant in our fractured and pluralistic times? The specific dynamics of different cultural aesthetic traditions, including broadly what we might call ‘Eastern’ and Indigenous ways of conceiving and practicing beauty, need to be investigated to consider this question. How might we theorize a turn to the planetary in studying different aesthetic traditions? Suppose the ecological crisis and its attendant geopolitical symptoms call for new cultural epistemes and modes of sensibility. Can the study and encounter of differing aesthetic traditions contribute to their emergence?

These questions call for study and dialogue amongst thinkers with diverse skill sets and scholarly and creative practices. Indeed, because aesthetic experience, ecological sensibility, creative practice, and contemplative exercises cut across traditional disciplinary divides, this conference is conceived as intentionally interdisciplinary, with our keynotes drawn from Philosophy (Dr. Jan Zwicky), the Earth Sciences (Dr. Nina Zitani) and Literature and Arts (Dr. Paul Harris). Each keynote combines their disciplinary background with active creative practice. Nina Zitani will draw on her extensive practice cultivating biodiversity gardens from a life science and aesthetic perspective. Jan Zwicky is an internationally recognized poet in addition to her work as a philosopher. Paul Harris is a literary scholar, and as Pierre Jardin is a self-described “rock gardener and stone whisperer.”

To pursue this topic and themes, the Centre for Philosophy and Culture will host an international conference on March 22 and 23^rd, 2024, in London, Ontario, Canada. This conference is part of a larger project in the history of philosophy, environmental ethics, religious studies, and aesthetics associated with the international research group (WGEA). https://wgea.foranewearth.org.)

We hope to attract a range of disciplinary perspectives and traditions and invite abstracts (300 words maximum) from interested parties. While the conference will be primarily in person, there is some potential for virtual attendance. Please note if this is your interest in your email submission. Please email abstract proposals for anonymous review to carep@kings.uwo.ca by January 5, 2024. All submissions will be equally reviewed.

Conference Date: June 16-18, 2024 – McGill University (Montreal)

Deadline for proposals: January 31, 2024

This call for proposals/participation in an EPTC/PRI panel presents a unique opportunity to address emerging questions in the human-technology relationship. It seeks to identify dominant narratives, worldviews, and social structures that facilitate humanist tendencies. Posthumanist philosophy delves into our understanding of the human-technology nexus, fostering the creation of novel narratives about our future on this planet. This philosophy recognizes the continual influence of technology in our evolution and its crucial role in shaping our identity. In this context, the PRI is looking for proposals that utilize Posthumanism as a practical framework for an in-depth exploration of the human-technology relationship. Themes for consideration include:

1. Examine technology as an inherent aspect of human and cultural development, emphasizing the intertwined nature of human evolution and technological progress. Proposals should explore how this co-evolutionary process influences our understanding of what it means to be human.
2. Investigate what it means to recenter our focus in posthumanist practices. If technology is deeply entangled in the development of human agency, beliefs, and behaviours, how does this influence our approach to decentering the ‘human’? Proposals should consider the implications of this entanglement for Posthumanist theory and practice.
3. Discuss emergent posthumanist practices and research methodologies. The discussion should describe how the novel approaches can be used to deconstruct the prevalent narratives, perspectives, and beliefs that support a binary view of the human-technology relationship. Submissions should showcase the potential of the emergent practices and methods to reshape our conceptualization of the human-technology relationship, offering fresh perspectives and insights.

Submission Guidelines:

Proposals should be submitted in English and include

• a clear title
• a brief abstract (250-300 words) outlining the proposed project, research question, or artistic concept.
• a detailed description of the proposed work, including objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes (up to 1000 words).
• a brief bio (150-200 words) highlighting your relevant experience.
• specify whether you are submitting an academic paper, an artistic project, or another format.
• include any relevant references or prior work that informs your proposal.

Review Process:

All proposals will undergo a rigorous peer review process by experts in the fields of posthumanism, technology, and related areas. Submissions will be evaluated based on their originality, significance, and potential contribution to the understanding of posthumanism as a framework to think the human-technology nexus.

Important Dates:

• Proposal Submission Deadline: January 31^, 2024
• Notification of Acceptance: March 1, 2024
• Conference/Exhibition Dates: June 16-18, 2024

Contact Information:

For inquiries and additional information, please contact Christine Daigle (cdaigle@brocku.ca) and/or Ralph Mercer (mercer.ralph@gmail.com).

To submit your proposal: postrnet@gmail.com (Please use “EPTC/PRI 2024 panel” as subject heading).

We look forward to receiving your innovative proposals and fostering a stimulating dialogue on our proposed theme. Join us in pushing the boundaries of human understanding in an age of technological transformation.

Click here to view the CFP on the PRI website.