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Call for Papers Theme: The Value of (Not) Being Diverse Subtitle: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Social Cohesion, Diversity, Moral Pluralism and their Limits Type: 2017 International Tübingen Symposium on Ethics Institution: International Centre for Ethics (IZEW), University of Tübingen Location: Tübingen (Germany) Date: 24.–26.7.2017 Deadline: 15.12.2016 __________________________________________________ “Social Cohesion”, “Diversity” and “Pluralism” have become normative central guiding principles in democratic societies. However, the practical implementation of how to define social cohesion, deal with diversity and act in pluralistic societies is rather contested. Recently, especially in the light of the growing numbers of refugees, the meaning and value of diversity has been both passionately confirmed and passionately contested: Proponents of diversity and plurality of values argue that diversity and (moral) pluralism represent common goods that have to be protected by and within democratic societies, with the aim to strengthen social cohesion and democracy. Opponents of diversity and the plurality of values often argue that too much diversity and (moral) pluralism represent a threat to social cohesion and ultimately endanger the integrity of societies. Global challenges of, among others, extreme socio-economic inequalities, “failing states” and terrorism, as well as environmental degradation and climate change are bringing forth global migration; this increases the plurality of people and their values in already diverse societies. These processes have an impact of how social cohesion, diversity and moral pluralism are framed. Among others, this poses challenges to the whole education system. On a more basic level, the question remains how the concept of diversity is shaped and justified with regard to the political and moral sphere. Here, for example, the relation between cultural and biological diversity is being negotiated and contested from several standpoints, reaching from biology-based functionalisms to (de)constructivist approaches. Both in cultural as well as in biodiversity conservation discourses, not every kind of diversity is cherished. But what are the reasons to distinguish “good diversity” from “bad diversity?” Not least in the light of the alarming shifts to non-democratic populism in Europe and the USA there is an urgent need to re-debate diversity and moral pluralism: (How) Do they promote social cohesion? Or (where) do they undermine it? Following the spirit of the “Tübingen approach” of an application-oriented ethics, this conference aims to encourage a broad interdisciplinary discussion on social cohesion, diversity and moral pluralism in contemporary societies. It is open to both theoretical as well as empirical approaches (including ethics, law, politics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, environmental sciences etc.). Conceptual and empirical contributions should help gaining insights into possible limitations inherent in the concepts of cultural diversity and moral pluralism and the specific implementation of pluralism, its chances, limitations and challenges in different contexts. Abstract submission: We are asking scholars from all disciplines interested in the conference topic(s) to suggest themes. Please submit an abstract of max. 400 words until December 15, 2016, to: ethics2...@izew.uni-tuebingen.de Contact: Dr. Cordula Brand International Centre for Ethics University of Tübingen Wilhelmstr. 19 D-72074 Tübingen Germany Phone: +49 7071 29-77982 Email: ethics2...@izew.uni-tuebingen.de __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: https://interphil.polylog.org InterPhil List Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/interphil@list.polylog.org/ __________________________________________________
