The Shape of Love: Material and Metaphysical

“What is Love?” has remained an enduring query for philosophers and mystics across centuries, with hundreds of theories and beliefs modifying its ontological standing and apprehension. From classical philosophers to more modern thinkers, questions and explanations about love have permeated through the very fabric of civilization in many forms; through philosophy, theology, literature, and art, love has found many expressions and definitions.

The Socratic-Platonic hypothesis explains love to be eros (passionate desire) or philia (attachment or fondness)—the former being expressed through the creation and possession of ideal beauty and the latter being the affection felt for friends, family, and personal interests. Plato defines eros as a continued struggle for the creation of beauty that may reflect Ideal Truth from the world of Ideas; Aristotle outlines that philia can only emanate from people objectively good, kind, and pleasing. A different explanation of love can be found in St. Augustine’s theological distinction between godly love (between a man and God) and selfish bodily lust. St. Augustine’s concept of love traces its origin from the love and sacrifice shown by Christ towards the church—man must extend love towards God and his fellow men. Echoes of St. Augustine’s agape understanding of love can be found in Kierkegaard’s evaluation that Christian love for God is the only true meaning of love; that all of life’s work must be grounded in love. On the other hand, the Kantian notion of love is grounded in duty and moral ethics, where man has duties of love towards others. Kant classifies it as practical love—which is different from self-love and love of beauty. 

Besides philosophy, the disciplines of biology, anthropology, psychology, neuroscience, and cultural studies also offer a plethora of perspectives on how love may be defined. Durkheim’s explanation of altruistic suicide and its relation to love for community, Eric Fromm’s observations on Mature and Immature love, and the critique of the commodification of love, Peter Kaufman’s study on love and its role in marriage and social relations, and many more centre their studies on the meaning and influence of love in human relations. Commenting on the ‘justifications’ of love, philosophers like Robert C. Solomon and Robert Nozick discuss whether loving a person signifies loving their qualities or the whole person. They distinguish this by separating the object of one’s love (person) and the grounds of the love (qualities of the beloved). Hugh LaFollette elaborates the ways in which love may be perceived as an act of self-improvement: by finding one's reflection in their beloved, people are able to improve the better parts of themselves. More recently theoreticians such as Neera Bhadwar, David Brink, and Neil Delaney have contributed towards understanding whether love is fungible. While Bhadwar concludes that love is “phenomenologically non-fungible” their robust-concern model of thinking about romantic love makes space for imagining and examining love as replaceable or fungible.

In literature, stories of love form some of the most powerful and evocative themes. Quests of romantic and pious love can be found across many genres and narratives. Petrarch’s beguiling love sonnets, Shakespeare’s tragic love in Romeo and Juliet, Heathcliff and Catherine’s tumultuous passions in Wuthering Heights, accounts of unrequited love in Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, pangs of young love in Eleanor & Park, love, body, and identity and  in I Wish You All the Best,all foreground love and its myriad expressions. 

The Harbour Journal at the Université de Montréal requests original articles on the theme “The Shape of Love: Material and Metaphysical,” wherein authors are invited to explore philosophical, historical/sociological, and literary discussions around the concept of love. Within the broad topic of love as a concept, authors are encouraged to write on different theoretical and fictional approaches to (but not limited to) romantic love, devotional love, sexual love, love and obsession, love and biology, ethical love, queer love, love and sacrifice, parental love, self-love, filial love, love and possession, love in late-stage capitalism, and others. The Harbour accepts interdisciplinary academic writing; however, it is encouraged that at least one literary subject be included in the paper.

The Harbour invites submissions of full academic papers of 3,500-4,000 words along with abstracts of 300 words. 

·   Authors are requested not to include their names or affiliation in the text of the abstract/paper. 

·   Authors will be notified upon selection. 

·   Only unpublished works shall be accepted.

·   All submissions must be made through the following link : 

https://forms.gle/564rkNqGtbaWL53T6

Deadline for submission: 12/21/2025

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