Call for papers, Interpretationes 2020/1


                    Ipseity and Alterity: Re-thinking Subjectivity with Levinas


*The forthcoming issue of Interpretationes is focused on the Levinasian innovation in the research
field of the subjectivity, and more specifically the concepts of “Ipseity” and “Alterity” are taken
in closer regard.


Philosophies revolving around the concept of subjectivity seem to have already been out-of-date in
the current philosophical debate, whereas philosophies “after” subjectivity have taken their place.
Nevertheless, if we dare to emphasize the vividness of a particular philosophy that takes
subjectivity as a central theme, in what other sense could it be more than a simple anachronism?
What are the characteristics of such vividness? To what kind of philosophical debates might such a
philosophy lead us, and could it shed light upon the problems of our time? Seeking to find some
possible answers to these questions, the forthcoming issue of Interpretationes is dedicated to
Emmanuel Levinas and his innovations in the field of subjectivity, concerning especially the
notions of “Ipseity” and “Alterity”

Grounded in the phenomenological tradition, the Jewish-French philosopher invites us to rethink
numerous traditional notions. Notably, it is no exaggeration to say that Levinas’ philosophical
inquiry is a way to develop a new ethical concept of subjectivity: the Hypostase as birth of the
ego from the anonymous and impersonal Being, followed by its enjoyment, possession and domination
of the world, leads to the transcendence from this inner egoism into the absolute responsibility
for others. His latest formulations as “l'autre-dans-le-même” or “l’un-pour-l’autre” imply all of
those phases, determined always in relation to alterity. His thinking is neither a reinforcement of
the identical subjectivity, nor a simple denial of subjectivity itself. On the contrary,
subjectivity is ipseity, yet fundamentally conditioned on the alterity.

These innovative conceptions of subjectivity are able to inspire many philosophers, who explore the
crucial role of subjectivity without the primacy of the egological sphere or its sovereign identity
over the otherness. Moreover, not only their significations do not belong to the field of
philosophy, but also provide some conceptual tools to the problems of our time, such as the
migration policy or justice regarding many political detainees. For example, in the debate
regarding the restriction of wearing the hijab in 2010, some political parties made reference to
Levinas. Thus, “Ipseity and Alterity” should not be considered solely as a special topic for
close-reading. Rather, it encompasses the various areas of Levinasian thoughts and its practical
applications. We invite you to contribute to one/some of the following topics.


- Researches about corporeity, affectivity or spatio-temporality especially from the
phenomenological, aesthetic or cognitive-scientific approaches;

- Researches comparing the thoughts of Levinas with transcendental philosophies or focusing on
methodological issues;

- Researches regarding the relation between ethics and politics or the political;

- Researches concerning Levinasian descriptions of the manner of being of Ego or of the experience
of Other (for example: hypostase, enjoyment, egoism, Eros, fecundity, discourse, violence,
substitution, etc.);

- Researches on the Levinasian critique or redetermination concerning the notions of the classical
philosophy, such as transcendence and immanence, finitude and infinitude, truth, freedom and will,
Being and beings, essence, first philosophy, representation, etc.;

- Researches in regard to historical contexts and influences from/to other philosophers;

- Levinasian researches in the field of literary criticism;

- Researches concerning implications of Levinasian philosophy in regard to the problems of the
determination of Other (political or religious conflicts, refugees, mass migration and immigrated
workers, minorities, racism, globalization, etc.) in the contemporary society;

- Actual or possible dialogues, whether polemical or complementary, with other disciplines like
sociology, anthropology, theology, aesthetics, hermeneutics, history, political sciences, law,
etc.;

- Book Reviews about published translations of Levinas’ works or about secondary literature
sources;



Please, send papers to andrda@seznam.cz and also to sonya.joung@gmail.com by November 30, 2020, at
the latest. We accept papers only in French, German and English. Please follow the attached
submission format.



Responsables for publication :           Daniela Matysová andrda@seznam.cz

                                                           Seongkyeong Joung sonya.joung@gmail.com