Oxford Philosophy, Law, and Politics Colloquium

The Oxford Philosophy, Law, and Politics Colloquium is a new interdisciplinary colloquium series that brings together theorists from philosophy, law, politics and beyond to discuss works-in-progress by distinguished visiting scholars. Sessions are held a minimum of thrice yearly – usually more frequently – and a paper for each session is posted at this website three weeks (see below) before the Colloquium meeting. Those unable to read the paper in advance are nevertheless welcome to attend as a summary of the paper will be given. It is expected that papers by visiting guests will have broad academic and cross-disciplinary appeal. The Colloquium is co-convened by Ruth Chang, David Enoch, Cecile Fabre, Kate Greasley, and Alison Hills.

The Colloquium is normally held in the Old Library at All Souls College from 5:00-7:00 p.m. To receive the paper for each Colloquium, find this page (you can google 'PLP in Oxford') and the paper for the session will be linked three weeks before the Colloquium session. If you have questions about the Colloquium, please email ruth.chang@law.ox.ac.uk or plp@law.ox.ac.uk.

Check back at this page for further updates and information.

October 17, 2024: Margaret Levi (Stanford University), 'Expanding the Community of Fate by Expanding the Community of Care', with Jonathan Herring (Oxford Law) opening discussion, 5-7 p.m. Old Library, All Souls College. The paper is here.

November 21, 2024: Lord Jonathan Mance (Former Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court), 'The Judiciary and the Role of Law in a Changing World: In Conversation with Lord Jonathan Mance with Professor Jonathan Harris (KCL Law) and Professor Rebecca Williams (Oxford Law), 4-5p.m. tea in the Alington Room, followed by the talk from 5-6:30p.m. 10 Merton Street Lecture Theatre (enter through University College Lodge). No paper for this session.

February 27, 2025: Stuart Russell (University of California, Berkeley), 'Provably Beneficial AI', Weston Bodleian Library, co-sponsored with the Oxford Institute for Ethics and AI, 5-6:30 p.m. with commentary by Caroline Green and Philipp Koralus. For more information, including registration, go here.

May 14, 2025: Stefan Gosepath (Free University, Berlin), 'In Defense of Term Limitations on Property Rights', with Cecile Fabre (Oxford Politics and Philosophy) opening discussion, 5-7 p.m. Old Library, All Souls College.

May 21, 2025: Elizabeth Anderson (University of Michigan), with David Enoch (Oxford Law and Philosophy) opening discussion, 5-7 p.m. Old Library, All Souls College.

Accompanying some colloquia will be an Oxford PLP Seminar for students during which the paper and any other relevant material to the colloquium will be discussed. All students -- and only students -- are welcome.

October 15, 2024: Seminar discussion of Margaret Levi 3-5p.m., University College, 12 Merton Street, Room 2. Convened by Ruth Chang.

February 26, 2025: Seminar discussion of Stuart Russell, 3-5p.m., University College, 12 Merton Street, Room 2. Convened by Ruth Chang.

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Past Colloquia

2022-2023

October 14, 2022: Liam Murphy, Why Tax Wealth?, Tsilly Dagan (Law) engages with Liam Murphy (NYU), 2-4p.m. (note the earlier time) Old Library, All Souls

November 28, 2022: Catharine A. MacKinnon, Exploring Transgender Politics: A Conversation with Catharine A. MacKinnon with commentary by F inn Mackay, Sandra Fredman, and Mischa Shuman, 3-5 p.m. Sir Joseph Hotung Auditorium, Mansfield College; cosponsored with the Feminist Jurisprudence Discussion Group and the Jurisprudence Discussion Group.

November 29, 2022: Catharine A. MacKinnon, Rape Redefined, Kate O'Regan (Law) engages with Catharine A. MacKinnon (U Michigan/Harvard), 5-7p.m., Sir Joseph Hotung Auditorium, Mansfield College; cosponsored with the Bonavero Centre for Human Rights

*CANCELLED due to strike action* March 2, 2023: Seth Lazar, Algorithmic Governance and Political Philosophy: Governing the Algorithmic City, H elen Mountfield KC (Principal, Mansfield College) engages with S eth Lazar (Australian National University) 5-7p.m. Old Library, All Souls

May 26, 2023: Jeremy Waldron, Self Application, Jo Wolff (BSG) engages with Jeremy Waldron (NYU), 5-7p.m. 10 Merton Street Lecture Theatre (note venue).

2021-2022

November 11, 2021: Seana Shiffrin, Democratic Politics: Duty Delegation without Abdication, Kate Greasley (Law) engages with Seana Shiffrin (UCLA) *Online at Zoom

January 27 2022: Rob Reich, Mehran Sahami, and Jeremy Weinstein, Joint Event with the Ethics in AI Institute at Oxford - book discussion of System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How to Reboot with authors Rob Reich, Mehran Sahami, and Jeremy Weinstein. Comments by Vincent Conitzer, Bryce Goodman, and Helene Landemore. *Online here.

February 24, 2022: Nomy Arpaly, On Being Blameless Among One’s Contemporaries, Alison Hills (Philosophy) engages with Nomy Arpaly (Brown) *Online at Zoom

May 5, 2022: Imani Perry, African American Narrative Jurisprudence, Sophie Smith (Politics) engages with Imani Perry (Princeton) Old Library, All Souls College - CANCELLED DUE TO SPEAKER ILLNESS

May 27, 2022: Sally Haslanger, Structural Injustice: Managing Social Coordination in Complex Systems, Rachel Fraser (Philosophy) engages with Sally Haslanger (MIT), Old Library, All Souls College

2020-2021

October 30, 2020: Miranda Fricker, Bernard Williams As A Philosopher of Ethical Freedom, Alison Hills (Philosophy) engages with Miranda Fricker (CUNY) *Online

November 13, 2020: Samuel Scheffler, Procreation, Immigration, and the Future of Humanity, Thomas Sinclair (Philosophy) engages with Samuel Scheffler (NYU) *Online

January 20, 2021: Cass Sunstein, Behavioural Welfare Economics, Timothy Endicott (Law) engages with Cass Sunstein (Harvard) *Online

May 7, 2021: Cecile Fabre, Doxastic Wrongs and True Beliefs, Tarunabh Khaitan (Law) engages with Cecile Fabre (Oxford) *Online

2019-2020

October 17, 2019: John Tasioulas, Saving Human Rights from Human Rights Law, Grant Lamond (Law) engages with John Tasioulas (KCL)

March 4, 2020: Miranda Fricker, Alison Hills (Philosophy) engages with Miranda Fricker (CUNY) *Postponed due to strike action

May 7, 2020: Imani Perry, Sophie Smith (Politics) engages with Imani Perry (Princeton) *Cancelled due to pandemic

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Thanks are due to the Hewlett Foundation for funding that makes the PLP Colloquium Series possible.

Oxford Philosophy, Law, and Politics Colloquium

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