Networking around Materialist Concepts Seminar (2017 meeting of the ACLA)

July 6, 2017

Utrecht University

Room 003 at Drift 25

Dear participants in the pre-conference seminar Networking around Materialist Concepts at the 2017 meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association,

On July 6, 2017 from 3-4:45pm our pre-conference seminar will take place in room 003 at Drift 25, Utrecht University. The session will consist of e-introductions of two ongoing international research networks: the Society for the Study of Bio-Political Futures and COST Action IS1307 New Materialism: Networking European Scholarship on ‘How Matter Comes to Matter’ (http://www.newmaterialism.eu). The SSBF will be introduced by Gregg Lambert (Syracuse University) and Cary Wolfe (Rice University) and the COST Action by Felicity Colman (Kingston University London) and Iris van der Tuin (Utrecht University). Next, invited speakers—members of the two networks—will discuss their contribution to a forthcoming joint special issue of Philosophy Today on “New Materialist Concepts.” The special issue concerns the definition of “new materialist concepts,” as well as the new approaches, critical issues, and methodologies that exist today at the intersection between philosophy and the sciences. Participants may also propose concepts that will then be workshopped. Reading materials for the seminar consists of SSBF readers (*Please navigate to the “Books” link.) and the New Materialist Almanac (http://newmaterialism.eu/about/about-the-almanac ) and Autobibliographies (http://newmaterialism.eu/auto-bibliography/how-to-contribute ).

Call for Proposals

Special issue of Philosophy Today on “New Materialist Concepts”

Editors: Iris van der Tuin (Utrecht University) and Gregg Lambert (Syracuse University)

This special issue of Philosophy Today concerns the definition of “new materialist concepts,” as well as the new approaches, critical issues, and methodologies that exist today at the intersection between philosophy and the sciences. We are especially interested in revisions and/or diffractive readings of earlier materialisms and their sources. Examples of concepts include, but are not limited to matter, praxis, contradiction, dialectical determination, quantum indeterminacy, experience, cognition and temporality, monism, contingency and freedom, etc.

It is a co-production of two ongoing international research networks: the Society for the Study of Bio-Political Futures (http://www.biopoliticalfutures.net/) and COST Action IS1307 New Materialism: Networking European Scholarship on ‘How Matter Comes to Matter’ (http://www.newmaterialism.eu). A combined seminar composed from the membership of these two networks took place at the 2017 meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association hosted by Utrecht University in July, 2017 called ‘Networking Around Materialist Concepts’: https://www.acla.org/pre-conference-workshop-networking-around-materialist-concepts-0

For the special issue itself, members are invited to submit brief proposals concerning the concept that will be addressed. Proposals must be sent to I.vanderTuin@uu.nl before September 1^st, 2017. Please include a short bio statement and keep in mind that the special issue on “New Materialist Concepts” will consist of 4000-word pieces.

I look forward to seeing you in Utrecht!

Very best, also on behalf of Gregg Lambert, Cary Wolfe, and Felicity Colman,

Iris van der Tuin

List of Participants:

1. Iris van der Tuin, Utrecht University i.vandertuin@uu.nl – chair

2. Jeffrey T. Nealon, Penn State University jxn8@psu.edu – invited speaker

3. Vera Bühlmann, TU Wien vera.buehlmann@a-theory.tuwien.ac.at – invited speaker

4. Helen Palmer, Kingston University London H.Palmer@kingston.ac.uk – invited speaker

5. Adam Nocek, Arizona State University adam.nocek@asu.edu – invited speaker

6. Stacey Moran moran.nocek@asu.edu – invited speaker

7. Oliver Aas Aas_Oliver@student.ceu.edu

8. Christian Alonso cmaal@hotmail.com