Phenomenology is often mapped through its canonical centers—Freiburg, Paris, Leuven. Yet what happens when we shift the focus toward its so-called margins? This international workshop reconsiders the philosophical geographies of Prague and Italy—two regions rarely treated as central nodes in the phenomenological movement, yet both deeply marked by it.

Although Prague and Italy might appear unrelated at first glance, the history of phenomenology tells a more intricate story. Figures like Jan Patočka, Enzo Paci, Boris Jakovenko, and Antonio Banfi are just some of the thinkers who forged surprising lines of exchange across linguistic, cultural, and political borders. This workshop seeks to explore these lesser-known pathways and question the peripherical status often assigned to these intellectual spaces.

Call for papers

We invite contributions that explore both historical connections and conceptual convergences between phenomenological traditions in Prague and Italy. In particular, we welcome reflections on shared concerns—such as aesthetics, the legacy of Husserl’s Krisis, and the philosophical idea of Europe—that might point to deeper underlying affinities.

Possible topics include (but are not limited to):
• Intellectual exchanges between Czech and Italian phenomenologists
• Alternative genealogies of phenomenological thought
• Aesthetic theory in Central and Southern European phenomenology
• Reconsidering “Europe” through phenomenological lenses
• Political and existential dimensions of phenomenology in 20th-century Prague and Italy
• New readings of classical phenomenologists in regional or transnational contexts

Please send an abstract (max. 300 words) and a short bio (max. 100 words) by April 20, 2025 to: mcavall4@uni-koeln.de and patrick.flack@unifr.ch