Ciclo de Seminários 

Filosofia, Ética e Política​

2019-2020

16 de outubro 2019 | 14h30
Sala do Departamento de Filosofia (Torre B – Piso 1)
Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto

Seminário 1

Philosophy of the City: Past, Present, and Future

Sharon M. Meagher (Marymount Manhattan College, New York, USA)

Abstract: In this presentation, I will discuss the new Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of the City (2020) as well as my earlier edited volume, Philosophy and the City:  Classic to Contemporary Writings (SUNY Press, 2008), thinking about what we can learn from these volumes about the relationship of Western philosophy to the city past, present, and future.  Arguably, Western Philosophy was born in the city, the Polis of Athens.  Philosophical inquiry and discussion provided the moral and political foundation for the city and citizenship.  But neo-Platonists began to break with the city, and by the time of Machiavelli and the rise of the modern nation-state, philosophy splits from what becomes social science, and hides its urban roots. 

The late 20th and early 21st century critiques of philosophical idealism have resulted in a renewed interest in how and why various philosophies are situated in place and time, and philosophy’s urban roots have once again been exposed.  During this same time period, the city re-emerges as an important political entity; now more than 50% of the world’s population lives in urban areas.  Pressures caused by the movement of global capital as well as migration have made global cities more powerful important than the nation-state.  As a result, philosophers are turning once again to the city as both the inspiration for, and the object of, their thinking.  The newly published volume by Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of the City aims to capture contemporary philosophical currents in philosophy of the city, while also identifying future needs for philosophical interventions.  Philosophers are beginning to make a real impact in some areas such as urban environmental issues as well as on questions about citizenship and the right to the city, but have thus far had little to say about global urbanization and the impacts of urbanization in the global South.  How can we philosophers extend our current work in ways that will make a difference in creating more just cities?

Sharon M. Meagher, PhD, is Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Faculty, and a Professor of Philosophy at Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY, USA.  

A philosopher by training, Meagher has focused on the philosophy of the city, university social responsibility, and global development and sustainability projects.  She is the author of articles on philosophy of the city, urban geography, feminist theory and practice, and ethics and edited the first reader on philosophy of the city.  Her edited volumes include: Handbook on Philosophy and the City, London:  Routledge, 2020, co-edited with Joseph Biehl and Samantha Noll; Philosophy and the City: Classic to Contemporary Writings, State University of New York Press, 2008; Women and Children First: Feminism, Rhetoric, and Public Policy, ed., State University of New York Press, 2005.

In her scholarly work, her teaching, and in her administrative roles, Meagher has been an advocate for the support and inclusion of students and faculty from under-represented groups.  Her research and teaching on philosophy of the city has focused on social justice issues, including understanding the disparate impacts of globalization and various social and economic urban policies on various populations.  An expert on place-based education, Meagher’s focus has been on the ways that we must be attentive to difference and inclusion in community-based teaching and service.  Her work on creative placemaking projects have focused on building community and conditions for civil discourse through the arts.  She also has engaged in consulting and faculty development work on inclusion and feminist pedagogy both in the U.S. and in Rwanda.

Prior to serving in her current role, Meagher served as the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Humanities at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA, 2014-2017. She began her career at The University of Scranton (Pennsylvania, USA), serving in her last seven years there as Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Latin American Studies.

Imagem: Fotografia de Isabel Marques

Ciclo de Seminários Filosofia, Ética e Política 2019-2020: https://ifilosofia.up.pt/activities/ciclo-de-seminarios-filosofia-etica-e-politica-2019-2020

Organização:
Research Group Philosophy and Public Space
Instituto de Filosofia da Universidade do Porto - FIL/00502
​Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)