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Upcoming Workshops and Events

October 4th, 1pm ET (10am PT) (Zoom) Jake Monaghan, Department of Philosophy, University of Southern California

Title: “Territory Without Turf”

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Abstract: The ideas of “territory” and “turf” are important parts of both our folk theory of the city and of recent scholarly treatments of the city. Our territory is where we feel at home outside of our private residences (cf. Kukla 2021). Our turf suggests something similar, but less benign (cf. Jacobs 1992). In this paper I assemble a series of plausible normative and descriptive claims into a challenge for the possibility of “territory.” The normative claims: justice requires territory, but prohibits turf (in senses to be specified). The descriptive claims: the inherently dynamic nature of territory induces attempts at preservation, but most of that preservation is bound to fail. The result is that territorial maintenance tends to produce turf. I argue that realizing territory without turf is one of the central questions in the philosophy and policy of the city, and explore some ways out of the puzzle. 

November 1st, 9:30am ET (Zoom) Mark Fabian, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick

Title: “Philosophical Issues and Issues for Philosophers in Wellbeing Public Policy”

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Abstract: I will compare two paradigmatic approaches to wellbeing public policy – the social planner perspective and what might be called the citizen perspective – and evaluate them philosophically and practically. By practically, I mean in terms of their usefulness to everyday policymakers, especially in the bureaucracy and sub-national levels of government. The social planner perspective, which characterises economic and philosophical approaches to ‘rational’ policymaking among academics, preponderates in central government agencies, especially treasury departments. In line agencies (i.e. those that deliver services) and in other academic disciplines it is generally regarded as actively harmful to good governance. Conversely, the citizen perspective, which is bottom-up, context-sensitive, participatory, politics-first, and leans qualitative, appeals to line agencies and policy studies scholars but is unwieldy for treasury and coordinating ministries. I will sketch ways in which I think these perspectives could be made complementary rather than competitive, at least for wellbeing policy. 

December 6th, 9:30am ET (Zoom) Brookes Brown, Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto

Title: TBA

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Abstract: TBA