CFA: SAPPS Symposium 2026
William Shaer
Call for Abstracts
4th Annual South African Postgraduate Philosophy Society (SAPPS) Symposium 2026
The South African Postgraduate Philosophy Society (SAPPS) invites postgraduate students to submit abstracts for the 4th Annual SAPPS Symposium, to be held in person at the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein from 25 to 28 June 2026.
The SAPPS Symposium seeks to foster serious philosophical engagement, collegial exchange, and a vibrant postgraduate intellectual community. We are excited to host you, and we are planning an amazing experience — one that combines rigorous discussion with a welcoming and supportive atmosphere.
We warmly invite postgraduate students and departments alike to join us in Bloemfontein for the 4th Annual SAPPS Symposium 2026.
Theme and Scope
The SAPPS Symposium is open to philosophy in all its forms. There is no prescribed theme or disciplinary restriction, and submissions are welcomed from all philosophical traditions and areas of inquiry.
The symposium is designed as a supportive yet rigorous platform for postgraduate research, offering participants the opportunity to test and refine ideas that form part of their degree work. Papers may be drawn from research proposals, chapter drafts, research papers, or completed dissertations and theses, whether at an early or advanced stage. The emphasis is on constructive engagement, clear argumentation, and philosophical depth.
While the symposium is hosted by a philosophical society and primarily aimed at postgraduate philosophy students, submissions from postgraduate students in other disciplines are also welcome. Contributors from related fields (such as politics, literature, theology, sociology, education, media studies, or history) should be aware that this is a philosophical forum, and submissions must be framed and presented for a philosophical audience.
Abstract Guidelines
• Abstracts must be between 250 and 500 words.
• Abstracts should clearly outline the research question, central argument, and philosophical contribution.
• Submissions are open to postgraduate students, including honours, masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral students.
🗓 Abstract submission deadline: 30 March 2026
📩 Confirmation of accepted abstracts: By 10 April 2026
📨 Abstracts should be submitted via email to: sappssymp...@gmail.com
Accommodation
A limited number of places in free subsidised accommodation on the UFS Bloemfontein campus will be available to accepted and registered participants. These will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis once conference registration opens. Thank you to KovsieInn for making this possible.
A list of recommended accommodation options in Bloemfontein will also be made available upon request.
Funding and Affiliations
The SAPPS Symposium 2026 is proudly affiliated with the Philosophical Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) and has received generous funding support. Additional sponsorship has been provided by Jonathan Ball Publishers and Taylor & Francis Publishers, both of whom will be present at the symposium. This provides postgraduate students with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with academic publishers and gain insight into the publication process.
Call for Institutional Support
SAPPS warmly invites philosophy departments and cognate academic departments across South Africa to support the symposium by circulating this call to their postgraduate students and making funds available to students wanting to participate.
The SAPPS Symposium plays an important role in cultivating postgraduate philosophical research, scholarly confidence, and inter-university dialogue, and departmental support is vital to sustaining this national postgraduate platform.
Contact Us
Email: sappssymp...@gmail.com
Website: https://www.philsafrica.org.za/sapps/
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