Frequently Asked Questions about submitting to the 2022 Conference

Do I have to be a philosophy major?

Nope. Ideas come to everyone, and sharing ideas is what this conference is all about. Students who are not majors or minors but who enjoy philosophical thinking in related disciplines, e.g. History, Sociology, Anthropology, Art, Psychology, International Human Rights, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Political Science, English, etc., are strongly encouraged to submit papers. Unsure about whether your paper is philosophical? Feel free to reach out to: submit@websterphilosophyconference.com

Why should I submit a paper?

What’s expected in a philosophy paper?

This page has some helpful hints.

Who will review my paper?

Submissions will be reviewed by undergraduate Webster University Philosophy students.

What is a panel?

A panel presentation consists of a small group of people (typically 3-4) gathered to share a variety of perspectives on a topic. We will try to organize panels that allow the ideas of the contributing students to connect with one another whether as mutual support, antitheses, alternate perspectives, or interdisciplinary allies.

What is an individual presentation?

In an individual presentation, one speaker shares their topic and reasoning for about 20 minutes, followed by about 10 minutes of question and answer/discussion. We discourage literally reading aloud the paper that was submitted. (Even though that is common at professional philosophy conferences, it is painful for the audience.)

We aim to have a mix of panel and individual presentations at the in-person conference. The virtual conference will have only panels.

What is the conference setting like?

What are the guidelines for paper submissions?