Inaugural Meeting of the Southern Symposium for Political Thought
University of Memphis | Memphis, TN
March 1 - 2, 2025
Call for Papers
The Southern Symposium for Political Thought (SSPT) invites paper abstracts that concern our inaugural theme: “Political Thought in a Time of Crisis.” Crisis constitutes a critical juncture in our time marked by exceeding difficulty or danger. To be sure, our political zeitgeist is one defined by burgeoning crises across the political landscape within the United States and around the globe. As such, there is a critical need to name, deconstruct, or remedy the various forms of crises that manifest in our political world. For this reason, we seek papers that theorize or shed light on contemporary or historical crises and catastrophes.
We are interested in new or familiar forms of crises in the political world, including but not limited to ecological or environmental crises; health, wellness or reproductive crises; crises of identity and the human being; methodological, pedagogical or disciplinary crises; crises of globalization, modernization or urbanization; revolutionary crises; crises of capitalism, imperialism and colonialism; juridical or constitutional crises; crises of democracy, governance or citizenship; crises of gender, sexuality or race; crises of authoritarianism, fascism or nationalism; ontological or epistemological crises; crises in the arts; crises of social movements; cosmological, moral or ethical crises; and crises related to technology.
Given our transdisciplinary focus, we particularly welcome papers or proposals from all disciplines spanning the social sciences and humanities, with a focus on political thought, including normative, critical, analytical or historical approaches.
Submissions
Abstracts (200-500 words) should be submitted to sspt@memphis.edu by October 15, 2024. We will give preference to works-in-progress submitted by regionally located scholars regardless of employment track, including graduate students. The inaugural meeting of the SSPT will take place over the weekend of March 1-2, 2025, at the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis in Memphis, TN. Full conference papers (8,000-12,000 words) should be shared with fellow panelists two weeks prior (by February 15, 2025).
Spread the Word
Please spread the SSPT’s call for papers on department listserves, on social media, and directly to colleagues and graduate students you know who may be interested. March 2025 will be the first meeting of this regional conference, and most scholars who would otherwise want to participate have not heard about it before.
Important Dates
- October 1, 2024: Abstracts due
- November 11, 2024: Acceptances sent out
- February 15, 2025: Papers to be circulated to panels
- March 1-2: Conference
Host Institution
The Political Science Department and the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis are hosting the inaugural meeting of the Southern Symposium for Political Thought in Memphis, TN.
University of Memphis and the Surrounding Area
Lodging: Holiday Inn University of Memphis Conference Rate
Parking at the Conference: Campus Parking Map
Local Transportation: Common rideshare apps are available in the Memphis area.
Airport and other travel information: The Memphis International Airport is usually less than a 20-minute drive from the University of Memphis. Rideshare apps will charge between $20 - $30. Mass transportation is available, but it can take 1.5-2 hours to arrive at the University of Memphis.
Inaugural Organizing Committee
The organizers of the first SSPT meeting are Derefe Kimarley Chevannes (Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Memphis), Megan Gallagher (Assistant Professor in the Department of Gender and Race Studies at the University of Alabama), Matthias Kaelberer (Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Memphis), Sharon Stanley (Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Memphis), and Douglas Van Steel (Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley).
Contact: sspt@memphis.edu