Colloquium in Legal, Political, and Social Philosophy

Each week, a legal theorist or moral or political philosopher presents a paper to the group, which consists of students, faculty from the Law School and other departments of NYU, and faculty from other universities. Each week’s paper is posted at least a week in advance on this page; participants are expected to have read the paper in advance.

The public sessions of the colloquium take place on Thursdays, in Lester Pollock Colloquium Room, Furman Hall, 9th floor, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.

Students taking the course for credit:

Students enrolled in the Colloquium meet separately with the conveners for an additional two-hour seminar on Wednesdays. One hour is devoted to a review of the preceding Thursday’s colloquium discussion, and one hour to preparation for the colloquium the following day.

Students are asked to write short reaction papers weekly, and each student is asked to make two or more oral presentations to the seminar during the term. Assessment is based on participation, reaction papers and presentations, and a final term paper.

Admission to the seminar is only by permission of the conveners. Students wishing to take the colloquium for credit should send their applications via e-mail to Omar Andron <owa207@nyu.edu> between July 1 and July 31, stating their background in law and philosophy and their interest in the colloquium. The application should use the subject line: Colloquium in Legal, Political, and Social Philosophy Application for Fall 2024. Please indicate which program you are enrolled in. Students not in the School of Law or Department of Philosophy at NYU should check with Academic Services about eligibility to register.

Colloquium 2024

Professors Liam Murphy and Samuel Scheffler

August 29th
Cécile Fabre, University of Oxford
The Expressive Duty to Vote

September 5th
David Owens, Kings College London
Rules And Rulers

September 12th
Elizabeth Anderson, University of Michigan
Challenges to Creating an Egalitarian Society

September 19th
Seana Shiffrin, UCLA
Affirmative Action and the Mission of the University

September 26th
Sanford Diehl, NYU Philosophy
Really looking and being seen

October 10th
Matthew Liao, NYU Bioethics
Understanding Privacy: The Personal Agential Realm Theory and Its Implications

October 17th
Sophia Moreau, NYU Law
Objectionable Obligations

October 24th
Jed Lewinsohn, University of Pittsburgh
The Artificial Virtues

October 31st
R. Jay Wallace, UC Berkeley
The Politics of Grievance and Other Pathologies of Influence

November 7th
Anna Stilz, UC Berkeley
Collective Self-Determination and International Authority in Climate Governance

November 14th
Benjamin Eidelson, Harvard Law School
Weak and Strong Neutrality

November 21st
Derrick Darby, Rutgers University
Armed Self-Defense