King's hosted the Society for European Philosophy Annual Conference from 7-9 July, the largest annual gathering of academics working on continental philosophy.
Organised by Professor Patrick ffrench, Professor of French, and Dr Cillian Ó'Fathaigh, Visiting Research Fellow, in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, the conference platformed new research from across the discipline.
The atmosphere was intellectually intense and at the same time convivial and collegial throughout. It was a wholly successful venture.
Professor Patrick ffrench, Professor of French
The conference featured three keynote speakers: Professor Frédéric Worms (École Normale Supérieure); Dr Julia Ng (Goldmiths, University of London); and Professor Simon Critchley (The New School).
During his keynote, Professor Worms spoke about 'The Emergency of Critical Vitalism', relating the socio-political crises of our time to the imminent threat to life and call for help from the other, caring or otherwise, that defines the emergency.
Dr Ng presented on work relating to her British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship on 'Daoism and Capitalism: Early Critical Theory and the Global South'. She illuminated the multiple Daoist figurations and conceptualisations that were threaded through the work of Walter Benjamin and Theodor Adorno, throwing into doubt any rigorous separation of 'West' and 'East'.
Professor Critchley meditated on 'Mysticism and Philosophy (and possibly music)', drawing from his recent book On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy. He challenged the cautious conservatism of a concept of philosophy that would police the excesses of 'unknowing' and ecstatic experience, provoking the audience to incisive debate.
The conference also hosted 32 panel discussions featuring 96 papers from across the field of continental philosophy and critical theory, with representatives from 21 different countries.
Papers focused either on authors - such as Hegel, Nietzsche, and Foucault - or on periodic or thematic topics - such as phenomenology, sexual difference, political philosophy, care, theatricality, post-WWII French thought, and more.
