INTERNATIONAL HERBERT MARCUSE SOCIETY 

We are very excited to hold the eleventh biennial conference of the International Herbert Marcuse Society at York University in Toronto, in December 2025. In the twenty years since its first conference, organized by Professor Arnold L. Farr, at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, the Marcuse Society has held ten biennial conferences; moreover, during this time, the Marcuse Society has organized various other events and activities, including a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Herbert Marcuse's One-Dimensional Man, held in 2014, at Columbia University's Butler Library, which this year will become the home of the Douglas Kellner Archive. The title of the Marcuse Society's 2025 biennial conference is "CRITICAL LEGACIES," and we will be examining the many contributions of Douglas Kellner, Andrew Feenberg, and Charles Reitz.

DATES

• CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: December 4, 2025

  • Reserved for Marcuse Society PhD Research Fellows & their faculty dissertaion supervisors.

• CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS: December 5-7, 2025

  • Open to all conference participants.

LOCATION

The main venue for the 2025 conference will be York University, in Toronto.  Further information will be forthcoming.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

For the Marcuse Society's 2005 conference, entitled "Critical Legacies," we are prioritizing papers/presentations that critically assess the contributions of three scholars -- Charles Reitz, Andrew Feenberg, and Douglas Kellner -- who, for decades, have illuminated and extended the critical legacy of Herbert Marcuse. The conference will feature a Reitz Stream, a Feenberg Stream, and a Kellner Stream. We are seeking proposals that focus on any aspect of their work and on the questions that animate their longstanding engagements with Marcuse--so that we might delve deeply into their thought as a way of critically engaging themes and issues of contemporary significance. Space permitting, papers/presentations outside of these three Streams will also be considered. 

CONFERENCE KEYNOTES

The keynote addresses on Friday, December 5, 2025, will be delivered by Professor Stephen Eric Bronner and Professor Douglas Kellner. 

The keynote addresses on Saturday, December 6, 2025, will be delivered by Professor Ian Angus and Professor Andrew Feenberg.

CONFERENCE PROPOSALS FOR PAPERS/PRESENTATIONS   

• The DUE DATE (June 15, 2025) for completion of Conference Paper/Presentation Proposal form has now passed.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

• To register to attend the conference, please complete this Registration form. 

• No conference registration fee.

• DUE DATE for completion of Conference Registration form: September 15, 2025.

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS

The Marcuse Society's three officers, Imaculada (Leca) Kangussu, Robert Kirsch, and Andrew Lamas, as well as past officer and current Board member, Terry Maley, are serving as the 2025 conference organizing committee. 

Please direct inquiries to the Marcuse Society at: ATLamas@gmail.com 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

MAY I ATTEND THE CONFERENCE EVEN IF I AM NOT PRESENTING A PAPER?

• Yes, but you must register.  See above for the registration link.

WHO IS REQURED TO REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE?

• Anyone who attends the conference (regardless of whether or not they are presenting a paper) must register.

IS THE CONFERENCE AN IN-PERSON EVENT OR ONLINE?

• The conference is primarily an in-person event; however, some portions of the conference will be presented online. More information about the online portion (and relevant links) will be provided at a later date.

WILL ALL OR SOME OF THE CONFERENCE BE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR LATER VIEWING?

• Some of the conference sessions may be recorded and made available in 2026.

IF I AM PRESENTING AT THE CONFERENCE, AND I WANT TO CHANGE THE TITLE OF MY PAPER AND/OR MODIFY MY PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED ABSTRACT, MAY I DO SO?

• Yes.  Contact ATLamas@gmail.com with the revised information by November 1, 2025.

[MORE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED DURING THE SUMMER.]