Call for Papers

Multidisciplinary Mill(s) : John Stuart Mill Conference 2025

Venue: Somerville College, Oxford

Date of conference: Tuesday 20^th May 2025

Deadline for submission of papers/abstracts: Friday 28^th February 2025

Building on the success of the John Stuart Mill Annual Lecture series which has been running since 2016, Somerville College will be launching a new one-day conference which aims to bring together researchers from the many disciplines in which the philosophy and thought of John Stuart Mill, his father, James Mill, his wife, Harriet Taylor Mill, or his stepdaughter Helen Taylor (from whom Somerville received Mill’s library) has had an influence.

The conference will feature a keynote lecture by Michele M Moody-Adams, Joseph Straus Professor of Political Philosophy and Legal Theory at Columbia University. Professor Moody-Adams’ paper will explore Mill’s claim that Jeremy Bentham and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were the two great “half-men” of their time, asking whether this assertion illuminates Mill’s view of the relationship between tradition and progress, or does it reveal a fundamental ambivalence at the core of Mill’s thought, and what this might tell us about Mill’s understanding of truth.

We welcome equally submissions which develop the theme outlined by Professor Moody-Adams, or those which explore different themes. The key proviso is that your submission should explore the work of one or more of the Mills (John Stuart, James, Harriet or Helen) and should discuss other key figures only in relation to one of the Mills and not in the key figure’s own right. After all, this is a conference dedicated to the Mills. Papers can be from any discipline of relevance to Mill, and we hope to see as many disciplines as possible represented at the conference.

In support of the aim of bringing together the many disciplines which reference Mill, we hope to facilitate cross-disciplinary conversations as well as inter-generational collaboration. We are seeking submissions from experienced researchers and early career researchers, including graduate students, and welcome submissions from those new to researching Mill.

Paper submission options:

To allow us to construct the conference schedule, please submit a brief abstract (less than 1,000 words) of your paper, covering the key themes contained within your paper and how these relate to the themes of the conference (if applicable). Please also provide an indication of the length of time ideally you would wish to speak.

In terms of the presentation length, we have kept it simple – you can talk at length, or keep it brief:

• Long papers – papers of between 30 and 45 minutes in length.
• Short papers – papers of between 10 and 20 minutes in length.

We welcome submissions by individuals, or by groups.

Conference format

The conference will be an in-person event only. The aim is to enable researchers to meet like-minded individuals and create opportunities for discussion and collaboration.

While the event will not be recorded, all speakers will be encouraged to provide transcripts of their presentations for dissemination via the conference website.

Funding and accommodation

Unfortunately, the college is not able to fund conference-related activities, such as travel, accommodation or subsistence costs. However, we should be able to offer reasonably priced B&B accommodation to those who book early enough. More details about staying at Somerville can be sought from our Events team: events@some.ox.ac.uk or view the details on their website.

Questions, comments and submissions

If you have any questions about the conference and this call for papers, or if you would like to submit a paper, please contact Sarah Butler, Librarian at Somerville College, on librarian@some.ox.ac.uk or phone 01865 270688.