Conferences, Workshops and Book Launches

The centre regular hosts conferences and workshops.  Past events include the Association for Social and Political Philosophy Annual Conference 2022 Political Philosophy & Political Activism and  Theories of Liberty Commemorative conference and the Graduate Political Theory Conference. 

If you wish to hold an event in next year please get in touch with the centre director Elizabeth Kahn Elizabeth.kahn@durham.ac.uk and deputy director Jan Kandiyali jan.kandiyali@durham.ac.uk.

Events 2025-2026

Roundtable: The Idea of the Good Society

Convenors: Maria Dimova-Cookson (SGIA) & Thom Brooks (Law School)
Date: 12 November 2025, Collingwood College

A joint SGIA–Law School event presenting The Idea of the Good Society: Essays in Honour of Raymond Plant (OUP, 2025). Editors Matt Beech and Kevin Hickson join Durham contributors Maria Dimova-Cookson and Thom Brooks to discuss the legacy of Raymond Plant’s work in political thought.

Workshop: The Philosophy of Force
Convenors: Dr Christopher Finlay and Jan Kandiyali
Date: May 29^th 2026

A one-day workshop on Finlay’s forthcoming book The Philosophy of Force: Violence, Domination, and the Ethics of Republican War (OUP, 2025). It will gather leading scholars in political theory and ethics of war for a discussion of a Centre member’s latest monograph, and is likely to lead to a journal special issue.

Regional Political Theory Conference

Convenor: Jan Kandiyali

A collaborative event linking theorists from the North of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. It strengthens inter-university networks and regional research capacity.