Rituals of Cosmopolitanism

Thursday 22 October 2009
5:30pm - 6:30pm
The University of Queensland Art Museum – St Lucia UQ [see map]

Abstract

Cosmopolitanism involves an extension or reworking of the boundaries of moral concern, typically from the local to the (relatively) global. Each cosmopolitanizing gestures nevertheless is also a drawing of boundaries. The principles on which boundaries can be re-drawn in a more cosmopolitan way are considered. John Rawls’ political philosophy is relevant here. So too do we consider the social technologies through which we might hope to cosmopolitanize in a particular situation. Bakhtin, Victor Turner, and Foucault are discussed in this context. Finally, the culture of a cosmopolitanized community is considered in a way that, surprisingly, is informed by the work of Thomas Kuhn.

Biography

Fred D'Agostino was educated at Amherst College (BA 1968), Princeton University (MA, 1973), and the London School of Economics (PhD, 1978). He was Research Fellow in Philosophy at the Australian National University from 1978 to 1984, and worked at the University of New England from 1984 to 2004, where he was Associate Dean of Arts, Head of the School of Social Science, and Member of the University Council. He is now Professor of Humanities and Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Arts.     He has edited the 'Australasian Journal of Philosophy', is currently editing 'Politics, Philosophy and Economics' and has published three books-- 'Chomsky's System of Ideas' (Clarendon Press, 1986), 'Free Public Reason' (OUP, 1996), and 'Incommensurability and Commensuration' (Ashgate, 2003). His book 'Naturalizing Epistemology' will be published by Palgrave in December. He holds an ARC Discovery Grant for work in social epistemology, an Australian Learning and Teaching Institute grant for educational leadership development, and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

 

The lecture series aims to promote the dynamic research culture of the arts and humanities, in addition to showcasing the diversity of research currently being undertaken within the fields of critical and cultural studies. 

This lecture will be chaired by Professor Graeme Turner.

Members of the public are invited to attend these free lectures, after which light refreshments will be served.

Getting here: We encourage people to use public transport to reach the University where possible – for more details on this please follow the link http://www.translink.com.au/uq. Alternatively, parking vouchers for the UQ multi-level parking building [see map] at the St Lucia Campus are available to assist members of the community who attend this free public lecture. The vouchers, which waive the parking fees for the multi-story parking building, are only available for collection from Centre staff at the event. Click here for details.
 

Enquiries to Ms Rebecca Ralph, Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies.   Phone (07) 3346 7407, fax (07) 3365 7184, email admin.cccs@uq.edu.au or r.ralph@uq.edu.au