Word in Education. Moral Upbringing through Arts and Literature / IVth International Congress

The Congress is planned as a continuation of a series of conferences initiated in the Abat Oliba CEU University in Barcelona by Dr Marcin Kazmierczak and other members of the Research Group „Family, Education and Inclusive School (Trivium)”: Dr María Teresa Signes, Dr Amparo Acereda and Dr Laura Amado. The previous congresses were held in 2012, 2013, and 2015 in Barcelona (blog.uao.es/congreso-palabra). The 2015 Congress involved the cooperation of the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow and University of Namur. This cooperation is continued, with Ignatianum, represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Education Dr Krzysztof Biel SJ, taking over the role of the host of this year's event.

The focus of this year's two-day conference will be on the role of arts and literature in moral education. Alasdair MacIntyre and other Neo-Aristotelian virtue ethicists have recognized the importance of literary role models in moral education and in the public sphere. We seek to explore moral education from various ethical perspectives: aretaic with its emphasis on character formation through virtues, axiological, providing a framework of overaching values, or deontological, stressing duties and obligations. Whatever the perspective adopted, the important aspect of the contributions will be the reference to the role of literature or arts in stimulating moral development. This year, while continuing the line of the first three congresses in Barcelona, we also aim to take inspiration from the Jesuit educational tradition, which has always emphasised combining rational reflection with the lived experience, engaging imagination, feelings, and senses. We would also like to explore the role of the school theatre which was at the heart of Jesuit education.

The Congress aims to bring together education experts, philosophers of education, literary scholars, art historians, theatre scholars and experts in psychology to explore thinking about the experience as well as the practice of moral education. Both theoretical contributions and empirical studies of practical implementations are welcome. Respective discipline panels will be held during the Congress.

The main language of the Congress will be English. Papers in other languages can be accepted on the condition that a PowerPoint presentation or an extended summary in English is prepared for the Congress. The Congress proceedings will be published in English.

Please submit an abstract (c. 200 words) and a brief bio to the conference organizer, Paweł Kaźmierczak, at: pawel.kazmierczak@ignatianum.edu.pl, before 30 April, 2016.

Important dates:

April 30, 2016 – submission deadline for abstracts

May 15, 2016 – notification of abstract acceptance

June 15, 2016 – deadline for registration

The programme of the congress will be circulated in September 2016.

The Congress is scheduled to take place on Thursday and Friday, 27-28 October, 2016.

An optional guided tour of Krakow will be organized on Saturday, October 29, 2016.

More informations:http://www-73j.ignatianum.edu.pl/nauka/konferencje/word-in-education-moral-upbringing-through-arts-and-literature