This seminar aims to explore contemporary applications of Hegel’s practical philosophy and to examine its relevance and legacy. Central themes in recent philosophical debates—such as globalization, race, feminism, and the Anthropocene—as well as the contemporary challenges facing philosophical reflection—such as social justice and the ecological transition, state sovereignty in the face of international markets and the emergence of supranational entities, or the crisis of democracy in the face of rising populism and the return of war—may call for a reengagement with Hegelian thought. The aim of this seminar is not necessarily to offer a strictly historical-philosophical reading of Hegelian thought, but rather to seek to take Hegel beyond Hegel himself, by engaging in a reflection on issues that find their initial formulation in his work, but which have developed far beyond his conceptual framework, or by examining his concepts from perspectives that do not necessarily claim to be Hegelian. This approach thus aims to foster a dialogue between Hegel’s thought and other philosophical traditions and schools of political philosophy in order to examine its capacity to shed light on certain major issues of our time. By questioning its relevance and limitations, this seminar seeks to examine what Hegelian practical philosophy can still offer us today and how it enables us to examine our own problems from a fresh perspective. While it likely cannot provide ready-made solutions, it may, however, help us ask the right questions and rethink the tensions of our time.

Matthew J. Delhey (KU Leuven) will deliver a lecture titled “Hegel’s Institutional Ontology.”

Free event.  

You can attend the seminar online at: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3224345405328311?p=FzHFL9Rs8ICFNMzosh

Contact: sabina.tortorella@unamur.be

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 101150961.