Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 5 (#PhiDisSocCh5) comprises presentations by disabled philosophers whose cutting-edge research challenges members of the philosophical community to (1) think more critically about the metaphysical and epistemological status of disability; (2) closely examine how philosophy of disability is related to the tradition and discipline of philosophy; and (3) seriously consider how philosophy and philosophers contribute to the pervasive inequality and subordination that disabled people confront throughout society. 

This year’s conference will feature a pathbreaking roundtable of disabled philosophy students (facilitated by Will Conway and T Virgil Murthy), who will address the social and political implications of merit as an academic value; a recurring roundtable of disabled philosophy faculty (facilitated by Johnathan Flowers and Melinda Hall), who will jointly identify the mechanisms that produce the continuing exclusion of disabled philosophers from the profession and critical work on disability from the discipline; and several panels of fascinating presentations on topics such as African philosophy of disability, neurodiversity and Madness, and the politics of eating. 

In its entirety, Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 5 will highlight the diversity and range of approaches to critical philosophical work on disability and showcase the heterogeneity with respect to race, gender, nationality, sexuality, gender identity, culture, age and class of the community of disabled philosophers. 

Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 5 is generously supported by the Alfred Landecker Chair in the School of Government at The University of Oxford. 

Co-organised by Jonathan Wolff (Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford) and Shelley Tremain (BIOPOLITICAL PHILOSOPHY)

Conference Programme

All times shown are in GMT (UK afternoons). The conference will take place online only. Captioning will be available.

Wednesday 11 December

Thursday 12 December

Friday 13 December