cfp.english.upenn.edu

Morality and ethics shape our lives in a plethora of ways. It affects how individuals act on a daily basis, interact with one another, and—most tellingly—act when faced with important decisions that could influence culture and history. Personal morals are not only indicators of who a person truly is but also of their perceptions on their society, life and death, and quality and worth of life.

This also holds true about society. Since the dawn of civilization, certain moral and ethical codes have formed to help determine the best course for humanity. These are traditionally influenced by religion, politics, or past codes that have evolved into more complex forms. These moral and ethical codes vary, also, from place to place, situation to situation. What is “right” and “wrong” depends upon one’s society and individual politics.

Throughout time, the ideas surrounding morality and ethics have emerged through various forms. Some of these forms include: art, literature, music, medicine, education, social edicts, law, historical writings, scientific research, film, drama, religion, and many more.

This conference aims to explore how morality and ethics have been conceptualized, depicted, and executed, from classical antiquity to the modern age, and how these codes have shifted and altered over time. The conference also aims to understand why morals and ethics hold so much sway in society and why there have been struggles between societies with different codes.

PROPOSALS:

The IUP English Graduate Organization Graduate Conference welcomes presentations from all academic disciplines. The topic of your proposal may address morality and ethics from a cultural, historical, classical, artistic, literary, cinematic, medical, legal, pedagogical political, economic, scientific or social viewpoint.

Questions that might be raised include (but are certainly not limited to): What does it mean to be moral and/or ethical? How are various moral and ethical codes that rule individuals and society addressed? Who determines morals and ethics? When a code is violated is the treatment of the violator ethical in itself? How can we address the struggles between different codes in a global society? Should there be a global ethical code and who would determine it? Is there an ethical way to pass along these codes to others and if so, how?

Individual abstracts for presentations timed around15-20 minutes should include your name, affiliation, title, and a 250 word abstract. Panel proposals should include the names of all presenters, affiliations, titles of all papers, and a 500 word abstract. Abstracts of 250 words for poster presentations are also being accepted. Please send proposals to iupegoconference2013@gmail.com by 15 December 2012. You will be notified whether or not your presentation has been selected by mid-January 2013.

If you have any questions regarding the conference and/or proposals, please do not hesitate to contact the organizing committee at: iupegoconference2013@gmail.com