Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/841483
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 JUNE 2017 40 This Week AN upcoming conference will aim to address some of the most urgent political, social and philosophical issues in a way that embraces a wide variety of viewpoints and dis- ciplines, and will take place at the University of Malta on November 16 and 17. 'Engaging the Contemporary 2017: Issues in Contemporary Political and Social Philosophy', which is open to submissions un- til June 30, is organised by the Department of Philosophy at the University of Malta, but its stated mission is to be as interdiscipli- narity as possible, in an attempt to counteract the cliché that aca- demic discourse exists in an ivory tower accessible only to its practi- tioners. In fact Kurt Borg, one of the co- organisers of the conference, says that while the 'home' ground of Engaging the Contemporary – which has been taking place annu- ally since 2004 – may be philoso- phy, its priority is also to include participants from other fields of study: academics and postgraduate students from sociology to anthro- pology, from psychology to his- tory, from public policy and eco- nomics to European studies, from gender to disability studies. "We're also inviting proposals from entities outside the Universi- ty, such as the Institute of Utopian Studies and NGOs. A democratic and critical engagement with the contemporary, with a focus on political and social issues, cannot be otherwise than truly inclusive." However, while Borg acknowledges the stance that academic practise does have an 'ivory tower problem', neither does he un- critically accept that assumption, proposing that the true value of ac- ademic discourse over other forms of engage- ment lies in its ability to take stock of ongo- ing issues in a 'healthier' fashion. "Let us not mistakenly think that the sole role of academic work is to offer neat solutions to day-to-day political is- sues. Academic work also enables a critical distance through which one can take a step back from the cacophony of voices in order to reflect on presup- positions or biases of predominant voices. Academic discourse can be the spur of creative insights that can inform social and political dis- courses and actions. But academic discourse – or, perhaps, we should say academic discourses – are voices in them- selves. They must per- vade and engage the public sphere and shape the language with which key political happenings are discussed. They can enable a way beyond the stagnation one may feel in a given present," Borg adds. As a result, the confer- ence is open to a num- ber of topics, among them " migration, de- mocracy, and a critical public sphere". "Regarding migration: the conference invites critical considerations of notions of borders, citizenship, and human rights; as well as reflec- tions on individual, collective and state re- sponsibilities toward refugees. Regarding democracy: the confer- ence raises questions on how democratic processes – including radical democratic pro- cesses – can flourish in hardening national and suprana- tional contexts; it seeks to situate contemporary buzzwords such as "post-truth" or "fake news" within a broader historical and philo- sophical concern with the function of truth and emotions in politics, as well as the critique of rationality since Immanuel Kant, Max Weber, Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno from the Frankfurt School tradition, and beyond. Regarding a critical public sphere: the confer- ence invites reflections on the role of universities as critical entities whose work connects with wider social concerns, and how the im- portant power of civil society can be strengthened in the name of de- mocracy, transparency, and good governance." Engaging the Contemporary 2017: Issues in Contemporary Po- litical and Social Philosophy will be held at the University of Malta (Msida Campus) on November 16-17. Interested participants are to submit by email an abstract of around 500 words and a brief bio- graphical note by June 30. Submis- sions of abstracts and queries are to be sent to: engagingthecontem- porary@um.edu.mt. The full call for papers can be found on http:// www.um.edu.mt/arts/philosophy/ engagingthecontemporary. The conference is free of charge and open to academics, students and members of the general public It's not exactly the most colourful bird: a mousy brownish-grey is the best it has on its minimalist palette, and it's small and rather shy too. But this bird is on that special list that raises its status with local naturalists, because it's a breeding bird. Spotted Flycatchers (M: Żanżarell tat-Tikek) do not live here all year, they spend winter in the forests and savannas of central Africa, whisking tropical flies and mosquitoes from the air. But come spring they strike north, cross a couple of thousand kilometres of Sahara desert and a few hundred kilometres of Mediterranean Sea – an endurance stunt that defies belief, imagine that pea-sized heart beating at 1000+ times per minute, makes me feel faint even thinking about it. All this to find somewhere to nest. And for some (a 'some' that seems to be on the increase, too), Malta is the destination. Right now a pair of these marathon fliers could well be raising chicks in a pine grove near you. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate Text Victor Falzon Photo Aron Tanti 10 actions for a biodiverse Europe - Clamp down on illegal activities II 563. SPOTTED FLYCATCHER GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 466 BOOK COVERS - Newspaper works just as well as shop-bought covers. To tell the books apart once they're covered, use a section of the paper that mirrors the subject of the book. Everyday enforcement is also often sorely lacking. A study in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, concluded that only 50% of measures that planners imposed on developments to compensate for damage had in practice been carried out. Nature conservation authorities are often ill- equipped and their concerns not always taken on board. For example, in the Pähler Schlucht forest nature reserve in Germany. In 2014, private owners logged 50% of the trees in parts of the forest for timber – including old trees providing key wildlife habitats – damaging habitats that should be protected by German and EU law. Gaps in the forest canopy appeared, altering the microclimate and worsening storm damage. Bavarian nature conservation authorities did not come to the site, nor impose restrictions until it was too late The Commission should increase capacity to investigate complaints and infringements on the ground and bring them to action. As part of this, the EU should introduce environmental inspections and use modern remote sensing technologies to ensure better detection of breaches of legislation – this may require new EU legislation. Upcoming conference goes broad in attempt to address key contemporary issues Deadline for submission to this year's edition of 'Engaging the Contemporary' is June 30 No ivory towers: 'Engaging the Contemporary' hopes to reach a wide swathe of participants