About The Workshop
SW 50- Philosophical Pragmatism in Legal Theory
Convenor: Kristen Hessler
Contact: khessler@albany.edu.
Philosophical pragmatists have developed a broad and diverse approach to legal theory. Critiquing traditional methods grounded in foundationalism and idealized rationalism, pragmatists argue instead that legal theory should begin with the recognition that legal systems are embedded in particular social and historical contexts, within which participants are actively engaged in using law to solve certain problems and to achieve their social and political ends.
This workshop aims to convene scholars from philosophy, law, and legal studies in the humanities and social sciences, who are working on philosophical pragmatism in connection with legal theory. Contributions may engage with a wide range of projects under this heading, such as (but certainly not limited to) the following:
- elucidating pragmatist methods in legal theory
- adjudicating among different views about the implications of philosophical pragmatism for legal theory
- assessing the potential contributions of philosophical pragmatism for better understanding domestic and/or international law in this historical moment
Prospective participants are invited to submit abstracts of 400-500 words by April 15 to khessler@albany.edu. To facilitate discussion, participants are warmly encouraged to circulate their papers by June 12, 2026.
