THE ANNUAL SEMINAR
Political Order and the Ethics of Peace
August 15-September 16,
2022
Washington
DC Time-EST
Thematic Description
The global political order is today confronted with one of its
most serious, and dangerous, crises since 1945. The violation of
international norms and the massive scale of suffering and
destruction have prompted vigorous and unprecedented forms of
cooperation aimed at attaining a peaceful resolution. The
outcome of the crisis remains uncertain, however, and it is
clear that the terms of the problem need to be confronted and
better understood. At issue is the complex
relation between the modern state—which remains the supreme form
of political organization in virtue of its ability
to organize economic production, channel aspirations for
self-determination, and wage war on a large scale—and the
ongoing historical project of limiting violence and promoting
coexistence through transnational norms and structures.
Watershed moments in the formation of an international order
include the Peace of Münster in 1648, the Vienna Congress in
1815, the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the foundation of the
United Nations in 1945, the proclamation of the Declaration of
Human Rights in 1948, the Treaty of Rome of 1957, and the Fall
of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The inter-state system, as developed
in the context of both the assertion of state sovereignty and
the rise of economic globalization, forced states to face
challenges both internally, from their own populations, and
externally, in connection with the challenges of international
cooperation and competition. The Westphalian model of state
sovereignty posited each state’s equal entitlement to rule in
its own territories and to enjoy immunity from interference by
others. However, the «security dilemma» of the state placed all
major states of the world in a process of actual or potential
conflict with one other. Over time, efforts to articulate
cosmopolitan standards of international law, the rights of
peoples, and human rights have placed checks on the capacities
of states to exercise violence. However, not even
the development of the United Nations system has fundamentally
altered the logic and structure of the Westphalian model. Hence,
the international community of states continues to face
challenges at numerous levels, from the technological to the
ecological, the organizational to the juridical, and the
cultural to the civilizational.
The 2021 international seminar dealt with the ambiguities,
the challenges and the virtues of ideas such as the nation, the
state, globalization, and governance. On this basis, the
upcoming 2022 international seminar will focus on issues
associated with the above-mentioned challenges. Specifically, it
will study political and global realities from both a
theoretical and a practical perspective, exploring inter-state
relations, the causes of war, and strategies for peace.
Particular attention will be devoted to efforts beginning early
in European modernity to develop juridical norms and
institutions designed to sustain an international order capable
of resisting the conflict of interests among nations-states.
Besides analyzing major aspects of the development of world
societies, especially in the West, the seminar will make
systematic inquiries into the intricate relationships between
state and law, justice and sovereignty. The promise of peace
ethics will be explored by studying how the concept of order can
be applied to the different fields of international relations.
Relevant authors from ancient, modern and contemporary times
will be studied in order to illuminate different sides of the
debate on the seminar thematic.
The 2022 international seminar invites
scholars across the world to gather in the spirit of a Symphilosophieren of
Ancients and Moderns, in an effort to tap into the sapiential
resources of humanity across cultures and civilizations so that
we can search together for a deeper understanding of the
workings of political order, the challenges of governance for
the common good, and the prospects for world peace.
Methodology
This annual
seminar will proceed with the following characteristics:
1. A maximum of
15 scholars from different countries around the world will be
selected to take part in the seminar.
2. As an interdisciplinary and intercultural initiative, the
seminar shall draw not only upon contemporary capabilities of
various realms of humanities and social sciences but also from
the richness of cultural traditions represented by seminar
participants.
3. The duration of the seminar will be 5 weeks (August 15 to
September 16, 2022) and participants will be asked to be present
for the entire five weeks in order to develop a well-integrated
community of research, as participants are encouraged to
practice mutual understanding in order to achieve lasting forms
of academic friendship and cooperation.
4. Seminar
participants will present their well-developed papers in the
last week of the seminar. Papers should focus in a rigorous and
innovative manner on the theme of the seminar. The final version
of the paper must reflect in an adequate manner the readings and
discussions to be held during the seminar in order to be
considered for publication.
Application for Participation
Since the pandemic started in early Spring 2020, the current
situation is still unclear. After careful deliberation and
consideration, the 2022 seminar will be held online. Those who
would like to apply for the 2022 seminar should email the
required application material by June
15, 2022 to cua-rvp@cua.edu. Notification
of acceptance (or rejection) will be announced on June 25,
2022.
Upon confirmation of participation, a preliminary set of
readings will be made available for preparation. The
seminar will
be conducted in English.
