From a historical standpoint, one would like to question various philosophical discourses about gender and sexuality, in order to analyze and enlighten their specific conceptuality. We encourage contributions of specialists in Ancient, Modern and Contemporary Philosophy, questioning the way in which the concepts of sex or gender fit or resist to the larger doctrine in which they appear.
From a critical standpoint, one would like to question the ideological power of these discourses: the way in which they do not only relay historical prejudices, but contribute to form and justify common beliefs about gender which still inform our actual ways of thinking about it. In this sense, we encourage contributions that intend to start from the critical tradition social or poststructuralist, feminist or ecofeminist , in order to reconsider particular philosophical works, from the most famous ones to the less known texts in the history of western philosophy.
Pellegrin Aix-en-Provence, France, November , 12 th to 14 th. Gender and sexuality might first seem to be marginal objects of reflection in the History of western philosophy. Firstly, because there are little writings about them. Secondly, because these writings are often considered as less philosophical and systematic.
Questions related to sexual difference, gender, and the place of sexuality in a philosophical anthropology, seem far removed from a reflection that often considers itself as universal and non-gendered, attached to a rational subject which, as such, is not marked by sexual difference. One might conclude that gender and sexuality have only become worthy of interest, as philosophical themes, with the recent development of feminist critiques of this universal subject.
Through this critique, the philosophical subject appears to be sexually situated and masculine, and his philosophical discourse, despite its seeming generality, appears to produce hierarchies and domination.
