Self(less)-Care: Ancient and Contemporary Care Ethics from a Labor Perspective
15th and 16th of May 2026
Historical Building of the University of Pardubice, nám. Čs. legií 565, Room 03004
Friday the 15th of May
09h30-10h Breakfast
10h-10h30 Opening Remarks
Laura Candiotto and Jorge Arjona (University of Pardubice) - Loving is Caring: Towards a Platonic Care Ethics
10h30-12h KEYNOTE (Chair: Jorge Arjona)
Stella Sandford (Manchester Metropolitan University) - (Self-)birth and the Care of the Self: Foucault with Locke
12h-13h Lunch
FIRST SESSION Epimeleia heautou on Trial (Chair: Hardy Mirza)
13h-14h Anna Pavani (University of Cologne) - Selfless cura sui? A critical (re)reading of Socrates’ epimeleia in Plato’s Apology
14h-15h Kristina Grubor (University of Zadar) - Plato and the Philosopher Who Cares
15h-15h30 Break
SECOND SESSION (Re)producing Self-Care (Chair: Lisa Hall)
15h30-16h30 Jeanne Pang (London School of Economics; University of Vienna) - The gendered division of labour and the fostering of self(less)-care
16h30-17h30 Dan Swain (Czech University of Life Sciences) - Care, Social Reproduction and Life-Making against Capital
Saturday the 16th of May
09h30-10h Breakfast
THIRD SESSION Performing Self-Care (Chair: Julita Skotarska)
10h-11h Daniel Kamp (Eötvös Loránd University) - The Unfinished Self in the Carnival of Care: Polyphony, Performance, and the Ethics of the Internal Other
11h-12h Yassine EL Bakri (University of Pardubice) - Tragic-Care as the Limit-Experience of Self(less)-Care
12h-13h Lunch
FOURTH SESSION Politicizing Self-Care (Chair: Rebin Ameen)
13h-14h Marion Pollaert (Collège international de philosophie) - Selfless care as Platonic contemplation: Dotson’s Cave Allegory and the Politics of Knowledge
14h-15h Başak İnce (Bilkent University) - Too Ethical to Care for Oneself: Care Labor, Ethical Overexposure, and Self-Care’s Paradox
15h-15h15 Closing Remarks - Laura Candiotto and Jorge Arjona (University of Pardubice)
15h15-15h40 Afternoon Tea
15h40 Walking Tour: Pardubice Old Town and Castle
Organizers: Jorge Arjona and Laura Candiotto
This International Conference is one of the outputs of Laura Candiotto’s Scientific Team “Loving is Caring: Towards a Platonic Care Ethics”
Attendance is hybrid. Please email selflesscare@upce.cz to register and get the joining info