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Conference: To What End?

2019 Conference - To What End

To What End? Narrative, Institutions, and Practices
July 25–27, 2019

The de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, together with the Centre for Contemporary Aristotelian Studies in Ethics and Politics (CASEP) at the London Metropolitan University, will cosponsor a conference titled To What End? Narrative, Institutions, and Practices, to be held Thursday, July 25, through Saturday, July 27, 2019, on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

The conference will broadly explore the resources of neo-Aristotelian thought, especially as they might be brought to bear on reframing moral discourse in a world increasingly shaped by the market, the state, bureaucracy, and technology. Alasdair MacIntyre has both shone a spotlight on the futility of rational dialogue in an emotivist culture and renewed efforts to rediscover the insights of Aristotle, Aquinas, and Marx. As this leading thinker and critic of modernity turns 90 this year, we come together from a variety of disciplines and countries to engage in this important collaborative work.

Conference Details

Registration

Registration for the conference has closed. Please contact Margaret Cabaniss with any questions or concerns.

Location and Schedule

A complete conference schedule is available here. Abstracts for each concurrent session are linked on the table below.

All events will be held at the Morris Inn and the Eck Visitors Center on the campus of Notre Dame (a map is available at map.nd.edu). 

Thursday, July 25    
  8 a.m. Mass
Thomas More Chapel, Law School Arch
  9:30–11:30 a.m. Graduate Student Workshop
Eck Hall of Law 2172
Questions? Please contact Peter Wicks
  11–2:00 p.m. Registration Check-In
Morris Inn
  1–2:30 p.m. Concurrent Session 1
  2:30–3 p.m. Break
  3–4:30 p.m. Concurrent Session 2
  4:30–5 p.m. Break
  5–6:30 p.m. "Alasdair MacIntyre and Therapeutic Method"
Jonathan Lear (University of Chicago)
Eck Visitors Center Auditorium
  6:30–8 p.m. Opening Reception
Eck Visitors Center Atrium
Friday, July 26    
  8 a.m. Mass
Thomas More Chapel, Law School Arch
  9–10:30 a.m. Concurrent Session 3
  10:30–11 a.m. Break
  11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session 4
  12:30–2 p.m. Lunch
  2–3:30 p.m. Keynote: "Moral Relativisms Reconsidered"
Alasdair MacIntyre (University of Notre Dame)
Morris Inn Ballroom
  3:30–4 p.m. Break
  4–5:30 p.m. Concurrent Session 5
  6:30–8 p.m. Conference Dinner
Morris Inn Ballroom
Saturday, July 27    
  8 a.m. Mass
Thomas More Chapel, Law School Arch
  9–10:30 a.m. Concurrent Session 6
  10:30–11 a.m. Break
  11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session 7
  12:30–2 p.m. Lunch
  2–3:30 p.m. Concurrent Session 8

Parking

Limited valet parking will be available at the Morris Inn for a fee; passes for free on-campus parking will be available for registered guests to pick up upon conference check-in. Passes allow guests to park in the Joyce, Compton, or Walsh Architecture lots on campus (marked with a "C" on the campus map here). Additional parking is available in the Stadium lot on Saturday, July 27.

Dining

Lunch at the university's South Dining Hall on Friday and Saturday is included with registration. Registered guests will receive a meal card at registration; please let any member of the conference staff know if you misplace your card. (A note that the dining hall closes at 1:30 p.m. following the lunch service.)

A list of other on-campus dining options is available here. Eddy Street Commons, immediately south of campus, offers a number of other dining options within an easy walking distance of the conference venue.

Transportation

The University of Notre Dame is a 15-minute drive from South Bend International Airport; taxis and Ubers are common, and easy to hire. The university is approximately a two-hour drive from major airports in Chicago, including O'Hare and Midway. The South Shore Line commuter train runs from downtown Chicago to the South Bend airport, while shuttle buses run from both Chicago airports directly to Notre Dame's campus. If you need assistance with travel arrangements, please feel free to contact Anthony Travel, the university's official travel partner. (Please note that Notre Dame is on Eastern Standard Time, while Chicago is on Central Standard Time.)

Lodging

A variety of room blocks has been reserved for conference participants:

  • Fairfield Inn (Eddy Street Commons): $199-209/night. The Fairfield Inn is an easily walkable half-mile distance from the conference venue. To secure the conference rate, please reserve your room by June 24, 2019.
  • Hampton Inn and Suites (Granger, IN): $189-209 a night. Please note that the Hampton Inn is 5 miles from campus (approximately a 15-minute car ride); free shuttle service to campus will be available for conference guests. Please reserve your room by June 10, 2019, to secure the conference rate.
  • Holy Cross Parish (1050 Wilber St., South Bend): Shared, dormitory-style rooms for $25/night (linens included). To reserve a room, contact Karen Trzaskowski (ktrzaskowski@hcpsb.org) and reference the "To What End?" conference.

Additional lodging may be available at the following locations: