CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
19th International Critical Theory Conference of Rome
May 17–19, 2027 • The American University of Rome
The 19th International Critical Theory Conference will be held at The American University of Rome (AUR), at its campus in Via Pietro Roselli, 4, Rome, Italy.
Conference Theme
The conference will explore the significance, development, and contemporary relevance of the Frankfurt School and Critical Theory. It will consider both the philosophical tradition of the early generation of Critical Theory—including the work of Walter Benjamin, Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, and Herbert Marcuse—and the application of their ideas to contemporary society.
The conference also welcomes contributions addressing the second and third generations of Critical Theory, including the work of Habermas and Honneth, as well as influential thinkers whose work has shaped the broader critical tradition, such as Lukács and Bloch.
Reflecting the interdisciplinary scope of Critical Theory, the conference welcomes papers that engage philosophical questions of justice, politics, aesthetics, sociology, theology, technology, literature, and other fields of inquiry related to the Frankfurt School and its intellectual legacy.
Conference Format and Schedule
· The conference will take place at The American University of Rome from Monday, May 17, through Wednesday, May 19, 2027. It will begin on Monday morning and finish on Wednesday evening, after 6:00 p.m.
· A welcoming reception will be held on the late afternoon of Sunday, May 16.
· Each presentation will be allocated 30 minutes: 20 minutes for the paper and 10 minutes for discussion.
· All presentations will be delivered in English.
Keynote Speakers
· Marina Calloni — Università di Milano-Bicocca
· Alessandro Ferrara — University of Rome, Tor Vergata
· Nancy Fraser — The New School for Social Research (TBC)
· Hille Haker — Loyola University Chicago
· Jeta Mulaj — Toronto Metropolitan University
· Stefano Petrucciani — University of Rome, La Sapienza
· David Posner — Loyola University Chicago
· Karin Stoegner — University of Passau
Submission of Abstracts
We invite submissions of individual papers and proposals for panels of up to six speakers. Please submit a one-page abstract by February 5, 2027. Each submission should include the author’s name, institutional affiliation (if applicable), and email address. For panels, the same information is required for each speaker in a single file.
Abstracts should be submitted by email. Decisions regarding the conference program will be communicated by the end of February 2027.
Submission and Information
Prof. Bahar Tahsily • criticaltheoryinrome@gmail.com
Conference Fees
Category: Unemployed and/or graduate students Fee: €160
Category: Employed and/or sponsored speakers Fee:€200
Conference fees include the welcoming reception on May 16, the conference reception on May 19, and light lunches throughout the conference.
Co-sponsored by: The American University of Rome; Loyola University Chicago, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and Quinlan Business School.
Organized by: International Critical Theory Conferences, with the patronage of Società Italiana di Teoria Critica (SITC).