CFP: Open Minds XV graduate conference, University of Manchester

The fifteenth annual philosophy conference for postgraduate students in philosophy.

Sponsored by the University of Manchester.

Event date and location: 14th-15th October 2021, The University of Manchester (UK).

Deadline for abstract submissions: Friday 6th August 2021.

Keynote speakers: Dr. Heather Logue (University of Leeds; department of philosophy)

Dr. Emily Caddick-Bourne (University of Manchester; department of philosophy)

Conveners: Beth Ansell (bethany.ansell@manchester.ac.uk); James Lloyd (james.lloyd@manchester.ac.uk); Ajinkya Deshmukh (Ajinkya.deshmukh@manchester.ac.uk); Daniele Conti (daniele.conti@manchester.ac.uk)

Call for Papers

We are delighted to announce the fifteenth annual Open Minds Conference for postgraduate students in philosophy.

Open Minds is a two-day conference which offers graduate students working in all areas of philosophy the chance to present their work and gain feedback in a welcoming and a friendly environment. With two parallel workshop streams running throughout the two days – ‘Applied Philosophy’ and ‘Theoretical Philosophy’ - the conference seeks contributions from all areas of analytic philosophy. Our goal is to provide a forum for discussing work in analytic philosophy by aspiring philosophers at both Masters and PhD stages in their careers. From this, we hope that all who attend develop valuable philosophical skills and working relationships with other early stage philosophers. To this end we also run workshop sessions related to pursuing a philosophy as a career path, including guidance on how to apply for graduate courses (for Masters students) and on how to publish.

Applications

Please send abstracts of 500 words prepared for anonymous review to openmindsxv@gmail.com by Friday 6th August 2021 (midnight UK time), with the header ‘SUBMISSION’. Please also include a separate cover note attached to, or in the body of, the same email containing:

• Forename and surname.

• Academic affiliation.

• Academic status (Masters / Doctoral student).

• Workshop stream applied for (Theoretical / Applied philosophy).

• Subject area (e.g., ‘Philosophy of Mind’; ‘Political Philosophy’; ‘Social Epistemology’).

• Paper title.

• Whether or not you may require childcare support if asked to present at the event.

(Documents can be formatted in any MS Word-compatible software or in pdf format.)

We are particularly keen to encourage applications from philosophers with backgrounds and / or identities which are not currently well-represented in academic philosophy, so please also add any additional information that you feel is relevant to this goal to your cover note (this information is not mandatory).

We will begin to notify successful applicants of their acceptance on 27th August 2021.

Registration details for both presenters and attendees will be issued once the speaker schedule is confirmed.

For any additional questions regarding application, please contact openmindsxv@gmail.com.

Bursaries, meals, and childcare support

Registration: There is no registration fee for this event.

Bursaries: A number of small bursaries contributing towards travel costs (we are unable to support accommodation costs) will be available to those presenting papers. Accepted papers will automatically be considered for this financial support, and there is no need to indicate financial need on your application. If you would however like to opt-out of the bursary scheme (if you have alternative means of support), please let us know on your cover page as this will increase the level of support available to others.

We also intend to support the cost of childcare to enable speakers to attend: please indicate on your cover note if you may require this support. This will in no way affect the review or acceptance of your paper.

Meals: Those presenting papers will be invited to attend the conference dinner on the day of the event at no cost. Lunch and refreshments will additionally be provided during the event for all attendees, subject to pre-registration by the conference deadline. If you have any specific dietary requirements, please let us know about these at the point of registering and we will work to try and accommodate your needs wherever possible (there will be vegan options at both lunch and dinner).

Accessibility information

Physical access: The venue for the event (the Arthur Lewis Building) is accessible, but please contact the organisers if you have any specific questions or needs relating to access. We are happy to provide detailed routes and photos of the venue in advance to help with planning your trip, and will do what we can to facilitate specific access requests advised in advance. For more information on venue accessibility more generally, including parking information for blue badge holders, please visit the UoM website: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/connect/jobs/disabled-applicants/travel-and-accessibility/.

General: The organising committee are committed to providing a supportive and welcoming environment at this and each future workshop. Anyone is free to leave the conference room at any time for any reason, and a quiet room will be available during the event. If you have any other access requirements, in terms of equipment, reading materials, or any other aspect that will help facilitate your attendance and / or ability to present, please let us know either on your cover note, or when accepting an offer to present / registering to attend.

Policy: Philosophy at the University of Manchester (UoM) subscribes to the BPA/SWIP Good Practice Scheme. All session chairs will be following the UoM philosophy department seminar chairing policy. Details of this, along with the University of Manchester good conduct event policy, can be found at the following location: http://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/philosophy/connect/events/events-policy/.