International Conference 2016

from November 13 - 16, 2016 in Graz/Austria.

Cosmopolitanism - often translated as cosmopolitanism - starts from an idea that goes back to antiquity. The emphasis is on the commonalities of being human. This aspect of cosmopolitanism blossomed during the Enlightenment, taking the form of a universalism that produced the 1789 "Declaration of the Rights of Man" and Kant's idea of a confederation of nations. "Not only was the value of human life essential, but also the value of each individual life." Kwame Anthony Appiah

Over a long history to the present, various cosmopolitan approaches have distinguished between the mere recognition of multidimensional diversity in societies and our moral obligations to the Other.

At issue is the important renewal of relationships between interculturality, cultural/ethnic identities, interdisciplinarity, and transdisciplinarity on the one hand, and cultural diversity on the other.

The globally interconnected world is a reality and presents us with great challenges. This includes orienting oneself in a world of diverse lifestyles and value systems, dealing with processes of globalization and with phenomena such as flight, displacement, migration, mobility and diversity, considering the ecological and social consequences of one's own consumption, rethinking traditional ideas about identity, culture, homeland, reacting flexibly to the demands of changed working environments and making responsible political decisions, as well as assessing the consequences of one's own actions. The context of the globalized world also requires a new, broader perspective in the field of education in order to be able to respond flexibly to changes in society across all sectors and to fulfill important contemporary educational tasks. Innovative, sustainable and pedagogical strategies are required that respond to the ever accelerating processes of economic, political and cultural globalization and enable young people to develop their own identities.

How can we prepare young people for the globalized world? What knowledge, competencies, skills, strategies are needed to work for a peaceful, more just society?

An effective pedagogical approach, emerges within the framework of a philosophical community of inquiry, empowering children and youth to apply critical, creative, and empathetic thinking to develop understanding of cultural differences, value systems, and processes, but not allowing value attitudes and ideologies to be imposed. Through philosophizing with children and young people, an environment is created in which young people from different cultures can be open and develop their identities, as well as become aware of and learn to value their own and other potentials.

This year's congress is planned as an intercultural forum to facilitate philosophical engagement with contemporary global phenomena, as well as to bridge the gap to other academic disciplines. An important goal of this event is to initiate an exchange of different approaches and thus make explicit further knowledge bases for both educational conceptions and educational policy initiatives.

The topics of the congress will focus on the following areas: