CFP: ISCP at the 2021 APA Eastern

The International Society for Chinese Philosophy (ISCP) plans to host two-panel sessions at the APA-Eastern convention in NYC from January 4–7 in 2021.

Submissions focusing on any area of Chinese or Comparative philosophy are welcome.
Your submission should include the following information:

1. Title of Paper
2. Name of Presenter
3. Presenter’s Affiliation
4. Presenter’s e-mail address
5. Approximately 200-300 words Paper Abstract
6. Submission Deadline: June 25, 2020

Please send the submissions electronically to Dr. Jea Sophia Oh, ISCP Liaison to the APA Eastern Division Meeting, at: joh@wcupa.edu with “ISCP APA Eastern” in the subject line.

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New Book: Deparochializing Political Theory

Cambridge University Press has published Melissa Williams, ed.,
Deparochializing Political Theory — a terrific collection of essays. Here’s the editorial description:

In a world no longer centered on the West, what should political theory become? Although Western intellectual traditions continue to dominate academic journals and course syllabi in political theory, up-and-coming contributions of ‘comparative political theory’ are rapidly transforming the field. Deparochializing Political Theory creates a space for conversation amongst leading scholars who differ widely in their approaches to political theory. These scholars converge on the belief that we bear a collective responsibility to engage and support the transformation of political theory. In these exchanges, ‘deparochializing’ political theory emerges as an intellectual, educational and political practice that cuts across methodological approaches. Because it is also an intergenerational project, this book presses us to re-imagine our teaching and curriculum design. Bearing the marks of its beginnings in East Asia, Deparochializing Political Theory seeks to de-center Western thought and explore the evolving tasks of political theory in an age of global modernity.

More info is here, and the Table of Contents follows.

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APA Newsletter on Translating Chinese Philosophy

The latest APA Newsletter on Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies has been published and is available here. The contents:

From the Guest Editor
“The Timeliness of Translating Chinese Philosophy: An Introduction to the APA Newsletter Special Issue on Translating Chinese Philosophy,” Ben Hammer

Articles
“Preparing a New Sourcebook in Classical Confucian Philosophy,” Roger T. Ames

“The Impossibility of Literal Translation of Chinese Philosophical Texts into English,” Tian Chenshan

“Translating Today’s Chinese Masters,” Dimitra Amarantidou, Daniel Sarafinas, and Paul J. D’Ambrosio

“Three Thoughts on Translating Classical Chinese Philosophical Texts,” Edward L. Shaughnessy

“Introducing Premodern Text Translation: A New Field at the Crossroads of Sinology and Translation Studies,” Carl Gene Fordham

New Book: Rošker on Li Zehou

A new book in Brill’s distinguished “Modern Chinese Philosophy” series: Jana Rošker, Becoming Human: Li Zehou’s Ethics. A desciption:

The book Becoming Human: Li Zehou’s Ethics offers a critical introduction and in-depth analysis of Li Zehou’s moral philosophy and ethics. Li Zehou, who is one of the most influential contemporary Chinese philosophers, believes that ethics is the most important philosophical discipline. He aims to revive, modernize, develop, and complement Chinese traditional ethics through what he calls “transformative creation” (轉化性的創造). He takes Chinese ethics, which represents the main pillar of Chinese philosophy, as a vital basis for his elaborations on certain aspects of Kant’s, Marx’s and other Western theoreticians’ thoughts on ethics, and hopes to contribute in this way to the development of a new global ethics for all of humankind.

More info is here.

Joel Kupperman (1936-2020)

Joel Kupperman, professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Connecticut and well-known to many readers of this blog, has died. Every time I encountered Joel I was struck by his grace and humanity; his lectures and writings were invariably insightful and nuanced. Early in his studies he developed a broad understanding of “philosophy” that is all too rare, even today. He will be greatly missed.

Alexus McLeod, one of Joel’s many students and now his successor at the University of Connecticut, shares the following tribute:

I recently learned that my PhD advisor, mentor, and teacher Joel Kupperman (Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut) passed away earlier this week, after a long illness (unrelated to the current crisis). Joel was not only an amazing scholar and great person (a true 君子), but he was the best mentor I could have hoped for, and I count myself fortunate to have worked with him, during the later years of his career. Joel was one of the wisest, most humble, yet most insightful and creative philosophers I have ever known.

As an advisor, he encouraged me to go in the directions I wanted to and to follow my own path, rather than trying to force me into the “right” direction. He let me do my weirdness, but reined me in when I needed it, and guided with a hand so skillful that I didn’t even realize he was doing it until I looked back on what I’d done well after I’d finished my PhD and moved on. Without his guidance, I would certainly not have made it, either through graduate school, or to the level I’ve reached today.  And such an experience was not mine alone—all of Joel’s other students I have known have had similar experiences.  I have not met a single of his students that does not hold him in the highest regard. I don’t think I’m misrepresenting their views to claim that all of us have looked to Joel as the highest example, as the kind of scholar, teacher, and person we all strive to be. 

His example continues to guide me. I can never repay my debt to him of course, but if I can inspire and guide my own students even a fraction of the extent to which Joel Kupperman inspired and guided me, I will consider this a tribute to him. May he rest in peace, in the arms of the eternal.

Alexus McLeod
Associate Professor of Philosophy and Asian/Asian-American Studies
University of Connecticut

Bin Song on Ru Meditation

Bin Song has begun a podcast series of Ru meditation, starting from several audios about Ru Breathing. They are currently in his website: https://binsonglive.wordpress.com/ru-breathing/. He plans to do more in the future including topics such as postures of Ru meditation, Ru meditation in Motion, and how to manage one’s emotions, etc. Check it out!