Humanities

Call for Papers: University of Belgrade's International Conference on Change

The Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, seeks papers to presented at its International Conference on Change on June 13-15. The Conference will be organized in-person, in Belgrade, in English. Participation is possible for all interested regardless of their level of study or the philosophical and scientific disciplines which they come from. 

Confirmed participants include Étienne Balibar, Axel Honneth, and Jonathan Wolff.

Change is one of those fundamental notions in social sciences and humanities that appears intuitively intelligible until one tries to provide a clear definition of the term. What constitutes change?  When is change possible and is it always desirable? 

One significant aspect of change is its inherent complexity. While the causes of change may sometimes be easy to identify, the actual trajectory and outcomes are most often not unilinear and are difficult to foresee. Social systems are so intricately interconnected that a seemingly minor alteration of rules can trigger a cascading series of effects that reverberate through the entire fabric of society. Navigating change requires a nuanced understanding of the interplay between the initial factors and the ripple effects they may generate. 

One way of approaching the theme of change within social systems is through the optic of systemic contradictions, but the most fruitful discussions arise when we contemplate change as the product of human agency. Political movements, revolutions and technological innovations are marked by reflexive decision-making of individual and collective actors directed towards changing societal norms, often experienced as unjust or dysfunctional. 

The study of change demands a serious (re)consideration of, among others, the following issues:  

What is the fundamental nature of change?
What are the underlying causes and catalysts of engaging in and for social change?  
How can we effectively mobilize and engage diverse communities in supporting and driving social change? 
What potential challenges and obstacles might arise during the process of realizing social change? 
What constitutes a conservative vision of social change, as opposed to a progressive one? Are these terms helpful or are they obfuscating reality? 
Our present order is sometimes seen as resting upon an ideology of constant change which protects the fundamental structures from real change. Can one engage in changing the “tyranny of change” in a manner that doesn’t call for restoring old norms? 
 
The organizers welcome papers that address these and related questions. They invite both theoretical and empirical papers, employing a comparative or case study perspective, coming from all disciplines of the social sciences and humanities. 

Please send proposals (up to 300 words; submissions for presentations of up to 15 minutes) to [email protected].

The conference will be held in Belgrade, Serbia on June 13-15, 2024. For additional information, please contact [email protected]

Deadline to submit is Wednesday, January 31

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Cross Reference: Call for Submissions,Opportunities,Humanities