Call for applications: 5 post-doc positions in social ontology / social cognition at the University of Milan

Deadline: 20 October 2025 at noon (CET).

Duration: 2 years

Requirements: PhD in philosophy, cognitive science, or related fields

Gross salary: about 50.000 Euro per academic year; incoming workers from foreign countries are entitled to significant tax exemptions.

The positions (‘Contratti di ricerca’) are funded by the University of Milan on the project FIS2 Advanced Grant “The Normative Roots of Social Kinds”. The recipients will work with Professor Francesco Guala and/or Professor John Michael on practices of social classification and/or the normative basis of joint action. We welcome applications from candidates with a background in philosophy and/or social cognition. More details can be found below, as well as here: https://www.unimi.it/en/node/52924

The University of Milan is a major teaching and research institution located in one of Europe’s thriving cities. The Department of Philosophy has been identified twice as a centre of excellence by the Italian government, and awarded with special funding from 2017 until 2027. It hosts more than seventy researchers working in every major area of philosophy, as well as neighbour disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. Website: https://dipafilo.unimi.it/

Detailed call for applications: https://www.unimi.it/en/node/52924

Contact: francesco.guala@unimi.it ; john.michael@unimi.it


Project description:

The project “The Normative Roots of Social Kinds” (NORSK) aims at explicating the distinctively normative dimension of social categories, or “kinds”, while also doing justice to their epistemic functions, using an interdisciplinary suite of methods and resources. Its core insight is that social categories are simultaneously real and normative. In exploring this insight, the project will start out from a detailed investigation of paradigmatic ‘folk’ and scientific categories, revealing how norms and values play important epistemic roles in stabilising behaviour and facilitating inferences across social properties. In particular, it will develop and assess the hypothesis that norms and values ‘anchor’ the success of inferential practices, helping to fix the extension of social categories. Integrating the methods of cognitive neuroscience, cross-cultural and comparative psychology, the project will also investigate the cognitive and social mechanisms which underpin social normativity. A key working hypothesis is that kinds facilitate coordination by providing cues and signals that modulate normative attitudes and expectations in joint action contexts. Such cues and signals are culturally situated, and may also depend on dispositions that vary across social groups and cultures. NORSK aims to identify the cultural parameters and individual differences which underlie this variance. In addition, the project will investigate proto- forms of normativity in other species (non-human primates and canids), and thereby home in on those aspects which are uniquely human. Finally, it will also probe cultural and individual factors that regulate various forms of punishment and partner selection, as well as the ways in which these mechanisms are efficacious in sustaining the normative attitudes that ‘glue’ social kinds together.

We are looking for candidates willing to contribute to theoretical or empirical research. Candidates interested in the theoretical aspects of the project should be informed about one or more of the following topics: the ontology of natural and social kinds; the topology of concepts and categories; social constructionism vs. realism; measurement in science and society; reflexivity and performativity; the politics of classification; the role of values in science and ontology; ameliorative metaphysics. They will focus on one or more paradigmatic ‘folk’ and scientific categories, with the aim of explaining how norms and values can stabilise behaviour, facilitate inferences across social properties and fix the extension of kind terms. They will be expected to develop case studies from classic social science – such as money, unemployment, kinship, or castes – and use them to explore philosophical theories about the ontology and epistemology of kinds.

Candidates interested in the experimental aspects of the project will contribute to fieldwork and/or laboratory testing involving (i) canids, (ii) non-human primates, or (iii) humans. They are expected to have a background either in comparative research, and should have some experience doing fieldwork or lab-based research with one of these groups. Statistical modelling skills (preferentially using R) are expected. Candidates interested in research with non-human animals should have video coding skills using software such as Elan, Boris or Observer. Candidates interested in research with humans are expected to have programming skills (Python and/or JavaScript). The successful candidates will collaborate with the NORSK team at the University of Milan and with our external collaborators in developing and implementing either fieldwork or a lab-based paradigms to enable cross-species comparisons in the capacity to form and maintain commitments in joint action, and will use the insights gained to spell out and evaluate hypotheses concerning the phylogenetic and ontogenetic origins of commitment.

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Il tuo 5x1000 al diritto allo studio
Università degli Studi di Milano
CF 80012650158

Welcome to join the Normactivity Online Workshop IV – Perspectives on Animal Normativity. In Memory of Frans de Waal on September 12, 2025.

The event will bring together leading scholars such as Sarah Brosnan, Pier Francesco Ferrari, Lori Gruen, and Philip Kitcher, and it will be a special opportunity to reflect on animal normativity in dialogue across disciplines.

The workshop is organized by Kristin Andrews (CUNY), Filippo Aureli (Universidad Veracruzana), Laura Danón (CONICET & Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Giuseppe Lorini (University of Cagliari), and Olimpia Loddo.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required by September 10 at the following link: Registration Form

For further information about the broader project, you may also visit our website: Normactivity Website

12-sett_ Normactivity_Workshop4.pdf

Two PhD positions in Vienna 

Job: Two 3-yr PhD Positions FWF-Project “The Ethics of Blaming and Praising Group Agents” University of Vienna

The FWF Project ‘The Ethics of Blaming and Praising Group Agents’ seeks to appoint two doctoral researchers to conduct their PhD in Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Vienna. The Principal Investigator of the project is Dr. Niels de Haan. The project has six internationally renowned collaborators: Prof. Hans Bernhard Schmid (University of Vienna), Prof. Paulina Sliwa (University of Vienna), Assoc. Prof. Stephanie Collins (Monash University), Prof. Gunnar Björnsson (Stockholm University), Prof. Frank Hindriks (University of Groningen), and Prof. Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen (Aarhus University).

The project focuses on questions related to the moral responsibility of group agents, and lies at the intersection of social ontology, collective ethics, moral responsibility and the ethics of blame and praise. The aim of the project is first to develop a novel methodology for including moral group phenomena more prominently in the development of theories of moral agency, moral responsibility, blame and praise. And in a second step, based on this novel methodology, the project investigates how cases involving groups matter for our understanding of the nature of blame and praise, of the conditions under which an agent is morally blameworthy or praiseworthy, and when blame- or praise-interactions are appropriate. For more information about the project, see https://ethicsofblamingpraisinggroupagents.univie.ac.at/.

The project will run for three years and employ two doctoral researchers who will conduct their PhD in Philosophy within the scope of the project. The project is expected to start at November 2025. The two positions are fully funded for three years according to FWF standards (approx. 2786,- euro bruto x 14 months per year). The deadline for applications is 29 August 2025. The online interviews are expected to be held on 4 and 5 September. For more information about how to apply, see https://ethicsofblamingpraisinggroupagents.univie.ac.at/apply/.

For any questions, please send an email to niels.de.haan@univie.ac.at.

As part of its effort to be more geographically inclusive, ISOS is collaborating with the Eastern Hemisphere Language & Metaphysics (EHLM) to host a symposium on Charlotte Witt's book, Social Goodness. The event will take place online July 23, from 9:00--11:00 CST (July 22 21:00--23:00 EDT). The full schedule is as follows:

9:00 - 9:05am: Introductory remarks (Nikolaj J. L. L. Pedersen, Peter Finocchiaro)

9:05 - 9:20am: Charlotte Witt - Précis of Social Goodness

9:20 - 9:35am: Comments by Jon Bebb (University of Liverpool)

9:35 - 9:50am: Comments by Jane Loo (National University of Singapore) 

9:50 - 10:05am: Comments by Chia-Hung Huang (Academia Sinica)

10:05 - 10:30am: Charlotte Witt - Replies to critics 

10:30 - 11:00am: Discussion

All ISOS members are welcome to attend. Zoom registration is here. Further details can be found on the EHLM website: https://ehlm.org/events

Winner 2025

"Let’s talk about the metaphysics of intersectionality—but let’s take it slow“ by Ying Huang - Ying Huang obtained her PhD from Brown University in May 2024, co-supervised by Elizabeth Miller and Joshua Schechter. She is currently an independent scholar. Email: yinghuang.phil@gmail.com.

Runner-up 2025

"Normative Social Ontology“ by Dee Payton - Dee Payton received her PhD from Rutgers University in 2021, committee: Theodore Sider (Chair), Karen Bennett, Elisabeth Camp, Jonathan Schaffer, Katherine Ritchie (external). She is currently an assistant professor in the department of philosophy at University of Virginia. Email: dpayton@virginia.edu 

Call for Book Reviews: Journal of Social Ontology

The Journal of Social Ontology invites submissions for book reviews of recent publications in social ontology and related areas. Topics may include but are not limited to: 

• The ontology of the social reality and social phenomena
• The ontology of social kinds (e.g. race, gender, class, etc)
• Social structures and social facts
• Group agency 
• Social action
• Collective intentionality 
• Collective responsibility
• Linguistic or mental representations of social phenomena
• Social skills, habits and practices
• Trust, cooperation, and competition
• Social power
• The method(s) of social ontology
• Approaches to the metaphysics of the social world
• Social norms
• Critical social ontology 
• Intersectionality

Submissions may approach these topics from a variety of philosophical perspectives, including: 

• Moral, legal, and political philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Philosophy of mind
• Philosophy of action 
• Philosophy of language
• Philosophy of economics
• Philosophy of science

We are particularly interested in reviews that:

• Engage with the central arguments and claims of the book
• Provide a clear and concise summary of the book’s main points
• Offer a critical assessment of the book’s strengths and weaknesses
• Link the book’s ideas to broader debates in social ontology and related fields
• Suggest potential avenues for further research

Submission Guidelines:

• Reviews should normally not exceed 1,500 words (7,500 characters)
• All submissions must include the following information: 
• • Title of the book
  • Author(s)
  • Publisher
  • Publication date
• Please ensure that your review adheres to the journal’s submission guidelines, which can be found on our website.

If you are interested in writing a book review, please get in touch with us first at submission.jso.philosophy@univie.ac.at to confirm that your proposal fits within the scope of the journal.* Preference will be given to reviews of books that have had or will likely have a significant impact on the area.

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

*Please note that submitting a book review does not guarantee acceptance. All submissions are subject to review process and can be rejected by the journal editors.

The International Social Ontology Society (ISOS), in collaboration with the Journal of Social Ontology, is thrilled to announce its biennial essay prize for junior scholars. This prestigious award includes an invitation to present as a keynote speaker at the ISOS Annual Social Ontology Conference in Dublin next year, along with a prize of €500.

Prize Details:

• Keynote Invitation: The winning essay will be presented as an invited keynote lecture at the next Social Ontology conference in Dublin in August 2025. Travel and accommodation will be covered.
• Publication: The winning essay will be published in the Journal of Social Ontology.
• Prize Money: The author(s) of the winning essay will receive a €500 award.

Submission Topics: 

Submissions may address any issue, problem, or debate within the field of social ontology. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Social facts
• Social action
• Group agency
• Collective intentional states
• Social kinds

Submissions may approach these topics from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including:

• Moral, social, and political philosophy
• Anthropology
• Cognitive science
• Economics
• History
• Law
• Political science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Linguistics
• Social Theory

Formal Requirements:

• Eligibility: The competition is open to individuals who are either PhD candidates or have received their PhD no longer than five years prior to the competition's closing date.
• Submission Guidelines: Please ensure that your submission adheres to all of our submission requirements for articles, which you can find here: https://journalofsocialontology.org/index.php/jso/submission. For example, we expect all manuscripts to be fully anonymized, which includes the removal of identifying metadata (e.g., Microsoft account details). For instructions on how to do this, please see our guidelines. 
• Deadline: The closing date for submissions is December 31, 2024.
• Submission Method: Essays should be submitted via email to essayprize.isos.philosophy@univie.ac.at, labelled as entries to the essay competition. 
• Required Information: In your email, please include your affiliation, the (expected) date of receipt of your PhD, and the names of your committee members.

Selection Process: The prize is administered by a subcommittee of the Journal of Social Ontology. The winner will be chosen based on multiple anonymous reviews by both internal and external selectors.

We eagerly anticipate your contributions and look forward to an engaging and inspiring conference in Dublin.

For more details about the upcoming conferences, visit isosonline.org.

Submit your essay and be part of advancing the field of social ontology!

Alejandro Arango (Gonzaga University) and Adam Burgos (Bucknell University) are soliciting papers for a volume on the ontology of social identities.  

• Deadline: 15 May 2023
• Length: 7500-10000 words (inclusive of references and notes)
• Abstract: 150-200 words
• *Co-authored contributions are welcome

More information here:  https://philevents.org/event/show/106753 

Saba Bazargan-Forward was interviewed by New Books regarding Authority, Cooperation, and Accountability, just out from Oxford University Press:

https://newbooksnetwork.com/authority-cooperation-and-accountability

11th Annual University of Calgary Philosophy Graduate Conference

Call for Papers

 

Social Ontology and Social Justice

Dates: May 5 - May 6, 2023

Format: In-person

Location: University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada,

2500 University Dr NW, T2N 1N4.

Submission Deadline: February 15th, 2023

 

Keynote Speakers: Robin Dembroff of Yale University and David Liebesman of the University of Calgary

 

The Department of Philosophy at the University of Calgary invites submissions from graduate students for its 11th Annual Philosophy Graduate Conference. We welcome submissions that explore the overlaps between social justice issues and social ontology. Possible topics include but are not limited to:

 

• Race and reparations
• Gender and transfeminist politics
• Medicalisation and social marginalisation
• Money and economic policy
• Institutions and political philosophy
• Group agency and collective responsibility
• Conceptual engineering
• Culture, race, and philosophy of science
• Language and language rights

We especially encourage submissions from members of marginalised groups.

Submission Guidelines: Submissions should be papers of up to 3000 words (excluding bibliography), prepared for blind review, and suitable for a 20-minute presentation. Submissions should include a short (200-word max.) abstract on the first page.

Papers should be submitted in one anonymized document, with no name or contact information in the document or title, sent as an attachment to ucalgarygradconference@gmail.com with a 200-word abstract on the first page.

A cover page document with the following information should be submitted in a separate attachment:

1. Name
2. Institution and Level of Study
3. Contact Email
4. Abstract
5. Paper Title
6. Word Count

Contact ucalgarygradconference@gmail.com with any questions.

For more information:

https://philevents.org/event/show/105838

https://philevents.org/event/show/105842