Moral Psychology and Political Philosophy of Patriotism
A Seminar Directed by Professor Martha C. Nussbaum (University of Chicago)
Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, June 9 to 14, 2008
The Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies will organize a seminar "Moral
Psychology and Political Philosophy of Patriotism" led by professor Martha
C. Nussbaum (University of Chicago) from June 9 to 12 as well as an
international workshop expanding on the topics of the seminar on June 14.
Professor Nussbaum will ask whether conventional forms of patriotism and
other local commitments can coexist with liberal and cosmopolitan values, or
whether they should be rejected as parochial ideals in an age when our
global connections are growing stronger. She will also ask whether nations
need to rely on a form of patriotism in order to motivate ambitious projects
involving sacrifice for others. Professor Nussbaum's presentations will
focus on work in progress of her and Jeffrey Israel (University of Chicago)
on the philosophy of patriotism.
The workshop will bring together internationally distinguished group of
scholars to reflect on the issues related to patriotism in their
philosophical, psychological, cultural, and political contexts. The seminar
and the workshop are parts of a long-term cooperation of Professor Nussbaum
with the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies to which she was appointed
a Permanent Visiting Fellow in 2006.
Program of the seminar
Monday June 9: Nineteenth-Century Nationalism and the Cosmopolitan Response
Tuesday June 10: The First World War and the Collapse of Patriotism
Wednesday June 11: Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism: the Contemporary Debate
Thursday June 12: Imagining the Patriot: The Political Iconography of
Patriotism (Jeffrey Israel)
Saturday June 14: Workshop with presentations by, e.g., Eamonn Callan
(Stanford University), Pauline Kleingeld (Leiden University), Eerik
Lagerspetz (University of Turku). Tanika Sarkar (Jawaharlar Nehru
University), and Juha Sihvola (Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies). A
more detailed program to be announced soon.
All seminar sessions from 10 AM to 1 PM at the seminar room 136 of the
Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, Fabianinkatu 24 A, 1st floor. The
workshop from 9.30 AM to 6 PM at the same location. The seminar is free for
all but pre registration is required. Registrations by email to Collegium
secretary Kaisa Apell (kaisa.apell (at) helsinki.fi).
The reading list for the seminar includes Martha Nussbaum et al. For the
Love of the Country (Boston 1996), Kwame Anthony Appiah, Cosmopolitanism.
Ethics in the World of Strangers (New York 2006), David Miller, On
Nationality (Oxford 1995), Amartya Sen, Identity and Violence: The Illusions
of Destiny (New York 2006), Paul Fussell, The Great War and Modern Memory,
Wilfred Owen, The Collected Poems, Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the
Western Front. The participants are advised to acquire these books for
themselves. All of them are available as inexpensive paperbacks and in
libraries. It will also possible to xerox some of the material. Texts on
19th century nationalism by Renan, Mazzini, Herder and Fichte will be
xeroxed for the participants. A more detailed list and instructions to be
announced soon.