> Call for Conference Submissions
>
> PHILOSOPHY AGAINST EMPIRE
>
> sponsored by the Radical Philosophy Association
>
> November 4-7, 2004
> Howard University, Washington, D.C.
>
>
> The RPA Conference Program Committee invites submissions of talks, papers,
> workshops, roundtables discussions, posters and other kinds of conference
> contributions, for its sixth biennial conference, to be held at Howard
> University in Washington, DC
>
> In the spirit of collaboration, and in the recognition that radical
philosophy
> is often done outside traditional philosophical settings, we invite
> submissions not only from philosophers inside and outside the academy, but
> also from those who engage in theoretical work in other academic
> disciplines--such as ethnic studies, women's studies, social sciences and
> literary studies--and from those engaged in theoretical work unconnected
to
> the academy. Also, undergraduate students should consider organizing their
own
> sessions or workshops.  We especially welcome contributions from those
often
> excluded from or marginalized in philosophy, including people of color,
gays
> and lesbians, persons with disabilities, poor and working class persons.
We
> also hope for submissions from other nations with social movements against
the
> present global order, and from graduate students, who represent the future
of
> radical philosophy.
>
>
> Conference Theme
> We live at a time when the imperial designs of the United States have
become
> starkly visible and frighteningly attainable, and it is an empire like
none
> before it.
>
> Economically, the United States consumes far more of the world's resources
> than any other nation, even as its own sales to foreign markets cannot
cover
> this consumption. Thanks to its hegemonic position in the world market,
the
> United States continues to serve as the main engine of growthin the world
> economy, and the dollar continues to serve as the major reserve currency.
> Politically and militarily, there have been few periods in world history
in
> which the balance of military power has been so one-sided. The United
States
> claims the moral right to engage in so-called "pre-emptive" wars whenever
it
> wants against whomever it wishes. It either dictates policies to
international
> institutions such as the IMF, UN and the World Bank or ignores them when
they
> do not agree. It walks away with impunity from intellectual agreements it
> opposes, such as the Kyoto treaty on global warming, or the establishment
of
> an international criminal court.  Culturally, corporations from the United
> States have profoundly affected the way people in other regions of the
world
> eat (McDonald's, KFC), drink (Coke), dress (jeans, Nike), entertain
themselves
> (Hollywood), interpret world events (CNN), and view their own identities.
> Racially, the United States, like all empires of European descent, has
> organized the world according to an unfair racial contract that benefits a
> small minority while impoverishing the vast majority, both globally and
within
> its own borders.
>
> Radical philosophers will not formulate moral justifications for the
American
> Empire, as the hegemonic positions in social and political philosophy do,
> implicitly if not explicitly.  Nor will we console ourselves with the
belief
> that U.S. hegemony is the least bad alternative in the amoral realm of
power
> politics. Radical philosophers are philosophers against empire.  You do
not
> have to be a long time dues-paying member of the RPA to be part of this
> struggle.  Nor do you have to be a professor or presently enrolled as a
> student.
>
> The RPA welcomes papers and presentations that critique the reality of the
> American Empire.  They may look at racism, class exploitation, male
dominance,
> heterosexism, able-ism and other forms of domination.  They may examine
the
> ecological impact of the present global order, speaking for the living
> creatures and future generations who cannot speak.  They may be devoted to
> constructing feasible and normatively attractive alternatives to empire.
Or
> they may discuss the special pedagogical challenges that arise from
attempting
> to teach philosophy in the present historical context. We have much to
learn
> from each other regarding these and many other topics.
>
> Guidelines for Submissions
>
> In keeping with the spirit of radical thinking embodied by the RPA, we
> encourage submissions that employ formats and media that challenge the
> standard conference presentation. For instance, we urge presenters to use
> formats that allow for greater interaction between participants and
audience
> (e.g. presenting an outline, rather than reading a paper), and that
emphasize
> collective inquiry (e.g. organizing a workshop).
>
> To encourage discussion, papers should be limited to 3000 words.
>
> Please note that participants will be selected for at most one
presentation
> (talk, workshop, poster session, etc.) during the conference; submissions
> should be presented with this in mind. (This limit does not include
chairing
> sessions.)
>
> Please submit all and only the following information:
> Name
> Address
> Affiliation, or independent scholar, activist, educator, etc.
> Title of proposal
> Nature of proposal (talk, workshop, other)
> Abstract of 250-500 words only
> If you would be willing to serve as a session chair, please indicate this
on
> your submission form.  Session chairs are responsible for timing
> presentations, and ensuring that each presenter gets her or his fair share
of
> the available time.
>
> Please send paper, workshop, poster, and other proposals to RPA PROGRAM
> COMMITTEE, c/o Tony Smith, Department of Philosophy, 402 Catt Hall, Iowa
State
> University, Ames, Iowa 50011.  You may also submit them as an email
> attachment: send to [log in to unmask]  NOTE:  Please do NOT submit
complete
> papers.
>
>
> Deadline
> All submissions must be postmarked by January 31, 2004.
>