2nd Annual Conference of CAS specialist group

Contemporary Aristotelian Studies 2nd Annual Conference, University of Nottingham, 18th July 2012

Following its successful launch conference at London Met in June 2011, the second annual conference of the Contemporary Aristotelian Studies specialist group of the UK Political Studies Association will be on 18th July 2012 at the University of Nottingham. For further details, please contact Dr Tony Burns <Tony.Burns@nottingham.ac.uk>.

For registration please download the form here. The conference will precede the 6th Annual Conference of the International Society for MacIntyrean Enquiry on the theme of ‘Well-being’, also to be held at Nottingham from 19-21 July. Both conference webpages can be found here. There is also a facebook event page here. We look forward to seeing you in July. See below for keynote speakers.

Plenary Speakers now announced for the 2nd Annual CAS conference

Plenary Speakers

Professor Eugene Garver (Yale Law School), author of Confronting Aristotle’s Ethics: Ancient and Modern Morality (University of Chicago Press, 2006) and Aristotle’s Politics: Living Well and Living Together (University of Chicago Press, 2012).

Title of Paper: ‘Barriers to Deliberation in Contemporary Democracy.’

Professor John Horton (University of Keele), author of Political Obligation (Palgrave, 2010 [1992]; co-editor of numerous volumes, including: After MacIntyre (Polity, 1994) (with Susan Mendus); The Political Theory of John Gray (Routledge, 2007) (with Glen Newey); Toleration, Identity and Difference (Palgrave, 1999) (with Susan Mendus); Literature and the Political Imagination (Routledge, 1996) (with Andrea Baumeister).

Title of Paper: ‘Realism in Political Theory.’

Dr. Tom Angier (University of Kent), author of Techne in Aristotle’s Ethics: Crafting the Moral Life (Continuum 2010); Either Kierkegaard/or Nietzsche: Moral Philosophy in a New Key (Ashgate 2006); ed. Key Ethical Thinkers (Continuum, 2012).

Title of Paper: ‘Social Conflict, Ancient and Modern.’

Contemporary Aristotelian Studies Panels at UK Political Studies Association Annual Conference.

CAS held a very interesting and successful panel at this year’s Political Studies Association International Conference in Belfast. The panel took place on the first day of the conference and included papers from Dr Tony Burns (University of Nottingham), Prof James Connelly (University of Hull) and Kim Redgrave (London Metropolitan University). We look forward to organising panels for next year’s conference. If you would like to participate please email Dr Tony Burns to register your interest <Tony.Burns@nottingham.ac.uk>

Religion, Civil Religion and the Common Good, London Met, 20th-21st June, 2012

Here is a conference which contemporary Aristotelians may be interested in attending. Registration is now open:

Religion, Civil Religion, and the Common Good

London Metropolitan University, 20^th-21^st June, 2012

Conference organised by the Centre for the Study of Religion, Conflict and Cooperation (CSRCC)

and the Centre for Contemporary Aristotelian Studies in Ethics and Politics (CASEP)

CONFIRMED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Wed 20^th June

Prof. Ronald Beiner (University of Toronto)

Prof. Timothy Chappell (Open University)

Dr Patrick Riordan, S.J. (Heythrop College, University of London)

Thurs 21^st June

Prof. Brian Girvin (Glasgow University)

Prof. Jeremy Carrette (University of Kent)

Lord Glasman of Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill (London Met)

CONFERENCE THEMES

The controversial topic of religion, secularism and the common good is the focus of an international conference to be held in the heart of London, bringing together moral philosophers, political theorists, policy-makers, theologians and others to debate the idea and pursuit of the common good. Whereas secularization was once presumed to progressively marginalize faith, religious actors now refuse political marginalisation. The conference will ask how, why and to what purpose religious traditions and organisations promote political ideals. Perhaps they do so because they believe that modern individualism is contrary to the true common good, or because they believe it important to promote the modern idea of a common good of rights-bearing citizens. Perhaps it is because they believe that the idea of the common good is crucial to the defence of social welfare or even of society itself, or because they believe that a common good can now only be pursued within particular communities. The controversial and topical nature of the subject should stimulate new academic and policy thinking, in the UK and elsewhere.

The two-day conference will explore the following issues:

• What is the common good?
• What have philosophers, such as Aquinas, Rousseau or Rawls, contributed to our understanding of the common good or of the public interest?
• What should be learned about the common good from Catholic, Protestant, Judaic or Islamic traditions?
• Does the very fact of religious pluralism entail that religion is now more an obstacle than an impetus to the common good?
• Does modern politics promote a civil substitute for traditional religion?
• How might particular communities or subsidiary institutions contribute to a wider common good?
• How are disputes about the common good best resolved?
• What are the prospects — in local communities, in the British state, and elsewhere — of actualizing the common good?

For registration and programme details please go to: www.londonmet.ac.uk/religionandthecommongood

Conference fee: £60 (£35 for one day). Concessions available.

 

CAS group inaugural conference, 3rd June 2011

The first annual conference of the Contemporary Aristotelian Studies specialist group of the PSA was held at London Met on 3rd June 2011, including papers by Alasdair MacIntyre (London Met), Kirsten Ainley (London School of Economics), Ron Beadle (Newcastle Business School), Keith Breen (Queen’s University, Belfast), and many others. Thanks to all those involved in organising the conference, who participated and who gave papers  it was a successful and memorable event. The group’s second annual conference will be on the 18th June 2012 at the University of Nottingham on the theme of ‘Well-being’. At the group’s AGM other future activities of the group were also discussed. We hope to host a panel at 2012 PSA conference to be held in Belfast and we also penciled-in our 2013 conference for the University of Wales, Newport. We look forward to an exciting year ahead and if you would like to join the group and have a say in our activities then please see our Membership page.

Amendment of the Constitution voted on at AGM

At the Annual General Meeting of the Contemporary Aristotelian Studies specialist group, held on 3rd June 2011, two amendments to the constitution were proposed by the existing officers and voted on by members.  The first was that another officer position should be created of Webmaster in addition to the existing three officers of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The second was that members should be able to call an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) if two thirds or more of the membership thought that an extra meeting was required in addition to the AGM. Both amendments were passed by the group members. Please visit our Constitution page to see the full document including amendments.