Hobhouse's career was ultimately marked by his election as a Fellow of the British Academy a hundred years ago, in 1925.Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse (1864-1929) was an extremely dynamic scholar and journalist, who wrote prolifically on a wide variety of subjects that were invariably closely related to the political and social reality of his time. Politics and sociology were, in fact, the two great fields that inspired most of the author's writings. Besides being a vigorous political thinker, Hobhouse was also one of the founding fathers of sociology in England and held the first Professorship of this discipline in the country. In fact, within the ideological sphere, L. T. Hobhouse was one of the most relevant representatives of the new liberalism that gained shape in Britain in the last decades of the 19th century and which influenced the nature of politics in the 20th century, namely as far as the expansion of the welfare state is concerned. Moreover, in a context of great social instability, but also one of dynamic political and ideological debate, Hobhouse's new liberalism promoted a belief in an organic conception of society characterised by a harmonious and cooperative relationship between the individual, the state and the community. His proposal implied a redefinition of the roles of these three entities to allow for and foster individual development and the common good, both of which were crucial for progress. We, therefore, find, in his political thought, the merging of traditional liberal ideas, coupled with the expression of concerns of an imminently social nature. Today, a hundred years after Hobhouse's election as a fellow of the British Academy, this conference aims to celebrate the author's relevance within the sphere of British political thought, as well as his contribution to the sociology field, by gathering scholars from different areas of expertise.Therefore, we welcome individual paper or panel proposals on L. T Hobhouse and his political and social context. Proposals should be sent to hobhouse.lisbonconference@gmail.com and include an abstract of 250-300 words, the author's name, affiliation and email address, as well as a short bionote (circa 100-120 words). Panels of three to four speakers and one discussant should also include a general abstract introducing the panel's theme. Deadline for the submission of proposals: 13th July 2025. The conference will take place at the University of Lisbon, School of Arts and Humanities. There will not be a virtual or hybrid option for this conference. Organisers expect to publish a selection of papers presented at the Conference.Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

• Hobhouse's definition of rights;
• Hobhouse on the State, individual and society;
• Hobhouse's ethical dimension;
• Hobhouse's social theory/theory of harmony;
• Hohbouse on the evolution of the mind and morals;
• Hobhouse, J. S. Mill and T. H. Green;
• Hobhouse, Hegel and Bosanquet;
• Hobhouse and the Press;
• Hobhouse and The Boer War;
• Hobhouse and World War I;
• The Oxford years: Hobhouse and the Fabians;
• The New Liberalism and the Welfare State;
• The New Liberalism and Imperialism;
• The New Liberalism and the Scientific Theories of Evolution: progress, Social Darwinism and Eugenics;
• The New Liberalism and Idealism;
• The New Liberalism, Collectivism and Socialism;
• The New Liberalism and Utilitarianism;
• The New Liberalism: political theory and party politics;
• The New Liberalism, Social Reform and the Budget of 1910;
• Liberalism as a tradition and a historical phenomenon: L.T.Hobhouse, Isaiah Berlin, John Rawls;
• The legacy of Classical Liberalism in the shaping of the New Liberalism;
• Hobhouse and the New Liberalism Today: legacies from the past.

Fees

Early bird (until 15 September): 150 euros;

Late Bird (16 September to 20 November): 175 euros;

Students: 75 euros.