AAP, “Discourse of Republicanism: Common European Legacy ?”, Prague, 6-7 novembre 2020

The Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences

The Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences

The Masaryk Institute and Archive of the CAS Library

Call for papers

International and interdisciplinary conference :

Discourse of Republicanism: Common European Legacy?

Prague – 6 th and 7 th November 2020

As John Adams puts it in his famous statement about republicanism as “the most unintelligible English word of all time”, the question of the republican thought with its historical background as well as modern connotations and ideological applications still remains a very challenging issue in the history of ideas and contemporary political theory. What does it require to label a particular political author as an adherent to the republican tradition? And is one even supposed to speak about one common

European republican discourse or is it rather relevant to assume significant differences among various “republicanisms” based on distinctive cultural and historical contexts?

In this regard, one should highlight that although the concept of republican political theory and history has been identified and “re-invented” mainly in the framework of Western European philosophical concept, the question whether one can trace the presence of similar or specific republican traits in other “European spaces” has seemed to be very urgent in the last two decades.

Thus, the international and interdisciplinary conference Discourse of Republicanism: Common European Legacy since the Early Modern Period? will be focused on the current trends and possible methods of research concerning the issue of republicanism as the interlinked phenomenon of historical legacy, political thought and discursive tradition. Hence, the meeting of prominent scholars from different regions with distinguished scope of research interest will enable both to intersect historical and theoretical approaches and to provide the contemporary state of research with the comparative European perspective.

How to Apply :

We invite proposals for papers on the following broadly defined topics:

● What are the main options and limits regarding the research of republicanism as a language tradition, political theory and historical legacy?

● Is it possible to assume the common “republican language code” in the European historical context or is it necessary to distinguish different codes of particular “national” republican concepts?

● In which ways have the republican ideas been shared and spread in European space since the early modern period?

● How is one able to reflect the relation between the republican political principles and collective identity?

● How did political thinkers construct images of their own republic and foreign republics? What were these allegorical and symbolic images based on?

Paper abstracts (a maximum of 300 words) should be submitted no later than the 2 0th of May 2020 to the following e-mail address: kvetinaAThiu.cas.cz

The organizers will send the acknowledgement of receipt of the contribution no later than the 15th of June 2020. The organizational committee of the conference reserves the right to select the papers.

Organizational instructions :

No conference fee is charged. The organizers will provide dinners and accommodation from the 5th to

7th November 2020.

Conference language : English

Publication Plan :

Selected papers that pass the peer-review process will be published in an English monograph that is going to be published after the conference.

Organizing Institution and Committee :

Jan Květina (The Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences)

Hana Fořtová (The Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences)

Vratislav Doubek (The Masaryk Institute and Archive of the CAS Library)

Maciej Ruczaj (Polish Institute in Prague)