The Condition of Hospitality:

At the first City of Refuge Congress in Strasbourg 1996, Jacques Derrida asked how the ethical demand for a borderless, unconditional hospitality could be translated into a specific political or juridical practice. This is where we have taken our cue. We invite to The Condition of Hospitality, a broad political-philosophical seminar we hope will further explore Derrida’s reflections on the ethical, legal, and political implications of hospitality.

How is hospitality defined and practiced? Where does hospitality meet, merge or clash with modern immigration issues? Is hospitality a form of “othering”, or a method of welcoming immigrants while preserving a unique culture? What are the ethical issues regarding hospitality?

Preparing for the symposium in 2008, we are cooperating with Norway’s leading scholarly and literary journal Samtiden, which will be publishing contributors’ papers and other articles related to this project.