CFP: MAP Session ON BOUNDARY SETTING at the Central APA

MAP will host a Group Session at the Central APA with the theme "Setting Boundaries: Personal and Professional." Boundaries are rules we set for how others interact with us, and for how much of our time and energy different people and spheres of our lives take up. As such, they deserve explicit reflection so that they reflect our values and allow us to thrive. Unfortunately, they are liable to be hard to set and maintain in environments with the intense work culture of academic philosophy.

We are seeking paper abstracts and proposals for mini-workshops or advice sessions related to this theme. Proposals should include a workshop component, or be geared at generating discussion and reflection that leads to concrete steps that participants can take up. Each session should be around 45 minutes, all inclusive.
​
Possible topics include:

• What are concrete steps that academic philosophers can take to maintain healthy boundaries between personal and professional life? What are challenges to successfully setting and enforcing boundaries, and what steps can we take to address them? 
• What do healthy boundaries look like in mentoring, teaching, and advising relationships? More broadly, how should faculty relate to students? How should graduate students relate to fellow graduate students?
• How can we become better equipped to recognize that our boundaries have been crossed? What is the best way to communicate that our boundaries have been crossed?
• What does a departmental culture that encourages healthy boundaries between personal and professional life look like? What are departmental best practices to support healthy boundaries between personal and professional lives, and between departmental members?
• What systemic factors contribute to members of marginalized groups in academic philosophy struggling to keep up healthy boundaries? How can we address such factors?
• In what ways does a poor culture around boundary-setting contribute to harassment, bullying, and a toxic departmental climate? What needs to change?
  
  

We particularly encourage submissions by members of under-represented groups in philosophy. We welcome submissions by people at all stages of their careers.

Abstracts and proposals should be between 500 and 1,000 words and should be sent as a PDF to mapforthegap@gmail.com with the subject line "Central APA Submission" by Jan 8, 2020. You will hear back from us by January 20. You can contact us at mapforthegap@gmail.com with any questions.

Further information: MAP (Minorities and Philosophy) is a collection of students in philosophy departments that aims to examine and address issues of minority participation in academic philosophy. Though primarily led by graduate students, MAP also relies on faculty support and encourages undergraduate participation. Currently, MAP has 140 chapters throughout the world, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the US, and the UK. The Central APA will be held at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL. Our session is scheduled for Thursday, Feb 27, 9am-12 pm.