Call for Papers “Philosophy in Times of War” with Delayed Deadline for Submissions, The Dutch Research School of Philosophy (Nederlandse Onderzoeksschool Wijsbegeerte or OZSW) Chamber of Ethics and Practical Philosophy yearly conference will engage the subject of “Philosophy in Times of War.” We encourage submission of papers for 20 minutes presentations by academics and PhD researchers and research pitches of 5 minutes by graduate students related to description below.
Description
The Russian-Ukrainian war is the longest, continuous, high-intensity armed conflict in modern Europe (UN 2025) and its number of casualties has reached an estimated 1.5 million people (Lawry et al. 2025). Politicization of campuses followed the protests against Israel’s
onslaught and destruction of living conditions (UN 2024) in Gaza raising concerns over complicity with war crimes and genocide, as well as
demands for boycotts and sanctions. Subsequently, US-Israeli attacks in Iran last summer and more recently have triggered spikes in the prices of fuel and gas, impacting European cost of living, and encouraging inflation globally. Israel’s renewed occupation of Southern Lebanon in complete disregard for the EU’s commitments and traditional ties with Lebanon have caused major concerns in Paris, London, and Berlin and a serious engagement with the possible suspension of the different agreements the EU has with the former. However, in a world where the post-WWII International Order has collapsed, Europe’s ability to influence its path has been undermined, not least as that order was established to prevent war in Europe and maintain some of the privileges of the preceding European-led order. Indeed, since January 2026 alone, British, and French warships have moved to defend Cyprus, drones have exploded in Poland and Romania, and an onslaught of trolls and bots have launched a destabilization and misinformation campaign against EU-democracies unseen since the heydays of the Cold War. War, although a global phenomenon of impressive consistency, has returned to the minds of citizens across the EU and been shaping concrete questions of policy with evermore urgency in recent years. And yet, the ethical and politico-philosophical reflections on this renewed relevance of war have been hesitant at best.
Indeed, all these negative impacts of war on the borders and stability of Europe have not led to a resurgence of opposition to war as the
continuation of politics. If anything, the opposite seems to be the case. Most European NATO members have increased their defence budgetary spending, surpassing the required traditional 2% of GDP and slashing budgets for health and education. Invigorated armies are opening draft for new recruits, branding the military as an exciting new career path for young people in an unstable, rapidly changing world. Are the lights flickering once more across the continent? And if so, where are our voices in the midst of all this?
Where does ethics, political, and social philosophy stand in relation to the resurgence of what seems like classical, inter-state, war making and its related social mobilization? Where do we, as philosophers, citizens, and academics stand in relation to war? Do we have moral duties or political obligations to stand on this or that side even if the Netherlands engages in these conflicts only tangentially? Should
philosophers seek to contribute from their own expertise and collaborate with the army and defence ministry? Or is their task primarily to
problematize, criticize or even disrupt such institutions and their involvement in new war efforts (and, if so: how)?
Keynote speakers
The organizers will have the pleasure of hosting prof. dr. Kimberly Hutchings (Queen Mary University London). Prof. Hutchings is a leading scholar of International Relation Theory and Political Philosophy. She is the author of Kant, Critique and Politics, International Political Theory: rethinking ethics in a global era, Hegel and Feminist Philosophy and Time and World Politics: thinking the present and is currently working on issues of political violence and war.
In addition, we will have a Keynote discussion: dr. mr. Michiel Bot (Tilburg University) and dr. mr. Lonneke Peperkamp (Radboud University/Netherlands Defence Academy). Dr. Bots is associate professor of Law and Humanities at Tilburg University and has published extensively on the different conflicts in the Middle East, the politics and legality of boycotting and critical theories. Dr. Peperkamp is professor of Military Ethics and Leadership at the Netherlands Defence Academy and has published extensively the use of AI and other new technologies in armed conflicts, the ethics of war and political theory. They will lead a discussion panel on the increasing collaboration
between academic institutions and the Ministry of defence in the Dutch context.
Relevant topics
Contributions on the mentioned questions and subsequent themes are welcomed but the list below should only be seen as possible ideas and research beyond the specific scope of the list and under the general theme can be submitted.
• The responsibilities, duties, or engagements of practical philosophers with the issue of war in the past and present.
• Is there something particular to practical philosophy that forces it to engage with war compared to other fields of philosophy?
• The ‘return’ of war, at least in Western eyes, raises issues of complicity, support, and Western geopolitical interests. Where should we
stand in relation to this increasing visibility of war which includes ‘us’ as researchers based in the Netherlands and the EU?
• Policymaking and war such as the ethics of collaboration with the military or the use and abuse of dual-use technologies and infrastructures.
• The new automation of war and the use of AI in war situations.
• Practical philosophy in times of war in the past, the present or the future.
• The philosophical analysis of war and geopolitical conflicts.
• Ethicists and political philosophers and war in the past and present.
Practicalities
We invite submissions of 300 words abstracts for either a 20-minute presentation or 5-minute research pitch to be sent to the following
email: philosophyintimesofwar@ozsw.nl
Your abstract should include a short bio and your institutional affiliation.
Abstracts should be submitted by the new deadline September 15, 2026, and responses will be given by September 25, 2026. We intend
to send the final program to the OZSW members by late September-early October. The event will take place on the campus of Radboud University Nijmegen on December 10, 2026.
Contact
More information is available here.
For any question, please email philosophyintimesofwar@ozsw.nl