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Screwball Tragedy: Contract and Consent in Rousseau's Les Solitaires
20 October 2021, 5:30 pm–7:00 pm
In this webinar, Professor Amy Shuffelton will present her work-in-progress paper.
This event is free.
Event Information
Open to
- All
Availability
- Yes
Cost
- Free
Organiser
-
Alison Brady
The paper engages the philosopher Stanley Cavell by turning to Rousseau’s little-read, unfinished epistolary sequel to Emile, Emile et Sophie: ou, les solitaires. The sequel indicates ongoing problems with including women’s lives in moral and political philosophy.
Stanley Cavell interprets the screwball comedies that he calls “remarriage” tales as a supplement to Rawlsian contract theory. Yet Cavell’s take on moral perfectionism draws on no major works of philosophy or film authored by women. Cavell acknowledges the exclusion of women but quickly dismisses the problem, suggesting that a serious consideration would have to take up the history of women’s education starting with Rousseau.
This event will be particularly useful for those interested in Philosophy of Education, Women in Philosophy, Gender and Education.
PESGB seminar series
This event is part of The Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) seminar series. PESGB is a learned society that promotes the study, teaching and application of philosophy of education. Its London Branch hosts seminars every Wednesday in conjunction with Philosophy at the Institute of Education.
These seminars are led by national and international scholars in the field, covering a wide range of issues of educational and philosophical concern. All are welcome to attend.
Related links
About the Speaker
Professor Amy Shuffelton
at Loyola University Chicago
Professor Shuffelton's recent scholarship has been about the politics of parenting in both canonical texts and contemporary policies, looking historically at portrayals of child-rearing in Enlightenment writing and at contemporary family/school issues. She is Editor-in-Chief of Studies in Philosophy and Education, Executive Director of the Philosophy of Education Society, and President of the Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society.