Forty-Third International Social Philosophy Conference
A joint conference by the North American Society for Social Philosophy (NASSP) and the Canadian Society Working for Inclusion in Philosophy (CSWIP)
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
July 16-18, 2026
(Translation in French forthcoming)
👉 PDF with full details
đź“ť Individual Submission Form
đź“ť Panel Submission Form
NASSP and CSWIP are excited to invite abstract submissions for proposed presentations at our joint 2026 conference. Proposals in all areas of social philosophy (broadly construed) are welcome, whether the content is contemporary or historical, Western or non-Western, analytic or Continental.
This year’s conference theme is Joy, Care, and Resistance. Although proposals in all areas of social philosophy are welcome, submissions on this theme are especially encouraged. Some possible topics include :
- Solidarity, coalition-building, and allyship
- Loneliness and connection across difference
- Social trust and epistemic environments
- Communities of resistance and care (real and digital)
- Indigenous, decolonial, Mexican, and borderlands philosophy
- Chaos and disruption as forms of creation
- Joy, laughter, and hope as forms of resistance
- Play and world-traveling
- Social and liberatory emotions and virtue
- Prefigurative politics
- Reform versus revolution
- Nonideal theory in ethics, social, and political philosophy
- Abolition and resistance to carceral logics
- The recognition of care labor
Abstracts must be submitted on or before March 1, 2026. Acceptance/rejection decisions will be emailed to authors by March 31, 2026.
We welcome submissions from both members and non-members, but we require that all presenters be members of either the North American Society for Social Philosophy or the Canadian Society Working for inclusion in Philosophy if their papers are accepted and they wish to present at the conference.
Submissions may take the form of individual submissions for traditional presentations or panel submissions.
Individual Submissions
Abstracts of 250-500 words should be submitted to the 2026 NASSP+CSWIP Abstract Submission form. Abstracts should :
- Be prepared for anonymous review.
- Convey an identifiable and engaging thesis, argument, or overall perspective.
- Motivate the author’s approach to the issue, by conveying the outlines of the argument or explaining why a particular theoretical frame is helpful for understanding the topic.
- Be clear and well-written, avoiding jargon when possible and explaining it when necessary.
- Demonstrate some engagement with the relevant literature, either through brief
- citations or an awareness of existing contributions.
NASSP will host an optional workshop via Zoom on abstract writing in January, dates to be announced.
Panel Submissions
The default format for panel submissions is to have three presenters speak individually on a related theme or topic, followed by comments or open discussion by the panelists on each other’s work, followed by audience Q&A. However, we encourage you to propose alternative formats including a workshop, a moderated discussion, a single paper with commentators, a session honoring the career of a particular scholar, or an author-meets-critics session.
Panel submissions should be submitted to the 2026 NASSP+CSWIP Panel Submission form.
Panel abstracts should aim for the same qualities as individual submission abstracts. Panel submissions need not be prepared for anonymous review but should include :
- An abstract for the topic of the whole panel (250-500 words).
- The format of the panel. Include time estimates for the different aspects of the panel, ensuring that no panel lasts longer than a typical session, which is two hours long.
- Abstracts for each participant (250-500 words).
- The names of participants who are willing to attend, if relevant.
Social Philosophy Today
Papers presented at the conference are eligible for consideration for publication in Social Philosophy Today, a peer-reviewed journal published electronically and available for print on demand. Although most articles published in Social Philosophy Today are based on papers presented at the conference, the journal is not a proceedings volume. Only those articles recommended on the basis of peer review will be accepted for publication.
NASSP Graduate Student Prize
The North American Society for Social Philosophy awards an annual prize of $800 for the best Graduate Student Paper presented at the conference. To be considered for this award, full papers of no more than 3,000 words must be submitted on or before March 1, 2026 to gradaward@northamericansocietyforsocialphilosophy.org.
Please include a word count with submission. Prizes will only be awarded to conference attendees who are still enrolled in a program towards a degree beyond the B.A. or first university diploma at the time of the conference. (Note that if the paper is coauthored then all the authors must meet this requirement.) There is no obligation to use prize money for conference-related costs.
Support for International Presenters
NASSP and CSWIP will waive fees for conference registration for those participants traveling from outside of the United States and Canada.
Accessibility and Inclusivity
NASSP and CSWIP are committed to creating an inclusive intellectual community where philosophers from historically marginalized groups feel welcome and are able to participate. They recognize that there are a variety of barriers of entry due to systemic discrimination and oppression that might prohibit participation in its events and governance (and in professional philosophy more broadly). NASSP and CSWIP are committed to removing those barriers and challenging oppressive norms within the profession more broadly, specifically (though not exclusively) for those related to race, ethnicity, Indigeneity, sexual orientation, ability, class, or gender.
Accommodations will be available either in a residence hall or at a hotel near campus.
Guidelines for accessible presentations will be distributed with successful participant notifications. Conference rooms and the reception space are wheelchair accessible, and information about wheelchair accessible transportation and accommodations will be available on the NASSP website by the time of participant notifications. Transcription will be available for the keynote presentations. Food will be vegan/vegetarian, and there will be space on the registration form to note food allergies and sensitivities. Participants are asked not to bring or wear strong scents. A quiet room will be available. Further information, including the location of accessible and gender-neutral washrooms, and transportation to and from Waterloo and campus will be available on the conference website at the time of abstract acceptance and also upon request.
On the registration form, all conference participants will be asked to identify any presentation technologies and/or other supports required to participate, and anything else that can help mitigate potential barriers to participation. All information will be kept confidential.
Questions? contact@northamericansocietyforsocialphilosophy.org
The Program Committee
program@northamericansocietyforsocialphilosophy.org
- Dan Lowe, University of Michigan (chair)
- Nikki Ramsoomair, Dalhousie University
- Kevin Timpe, Calvin University
- Theresa Tobin, Marquette University
Local Hosts
Katy Fulfer and Chris Lowry, University of Waterloo