The notion of “the commons” has captured the imagination of many as a space of both resistance and possibility in the face of contemporary social, political, and environmental crises. It invites us to reconsider themes such as collective ownership, governance, and shared resources, and questions dominant logic of privatisation, exploitation, and liberal individualism. In a world marked by escalating inequalities, conflicts, ecological degradation, and excessive commodification of both natural and informational resources, the reclamation of the commons emerges as an urgent, timely, and vital task.
Engaging the Contemporary is a yearly conference organised and hosted by the University of Malta’s Department of Philosophy. The goal of the conference is to foster international, multidisciplinary dialogue between researchers in philosophy and adjacent fields. In keeping with these stated aims, for this tenth edition of our conference, we seek to explore the commons as a theoretical framework that reimagines the themes of community, relationality, and the political. We invite scholars to submit contributions on the following (and broadly related) themes:
We welcome abstracts from established scholars, early-career researchers, and postgraduate students across disciplines. Interested participants are to submit a 300-word abstract and a 100-word biographical note through the website by 1 May 2025. Decisions will be communicated by 31 May 2025. Presentations are to be in English and no longer than 20 minutes.
More information on this Call for Papers is available online.