The Josiah Royce Society was established in 2003 to encourage the study of the life and work of the American philosopher Josiah Royce (1855-1916).
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Officers and Board
President:Scott Pratt, University of Oregon
Vice President: Dwayne Tunstall, Grand Valley State University
Secretary: Kim Garchar, Kent State University
Treasurer: Michael Brodrick, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
At-large Representatives:
Kara Barnette, University of Oregon
Mathew Foust, Lander University
Kipton Jensen, Morehouse College
André de Tienne, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Communications Officer: Mat Foust
Fellows (Past Presidents):
Griffin Trotter
Frank M. Oppenheim, S.J.
John J. McDermott
Kelly A. Parker
Portrait from the Josiah Royce Collection
Ms. 29, Special Collections
The Milton S. Eisenhower Library of
The Johns Hopkins University
High Resolution Scan of Image
News
2012 Central APA Royce Society Session
Posted January 12th, 2012
2011 Conference Information
Josiah Royce Society Conference
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
September 23–24, 2011
NEW: Conference Schedule
Conference information is now available!
Click here for general information about the conference.
Travel and Lodging information is available here.
Registration is now available for the conference. Download the registration form here, or register online at this page.
Posted June 10th, 2011
Call for Abstracts
Josiah Royce Society Conference
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
September 23–24, 2011
August 1, 2011
- Keynote Speaker
Jacquelyn Ann K. Kegley (California State University – Bakersfield) - Conference Theme
- Josiah Royce’s philosophy has been unduly neglected by American philosophers since his death in 1916. However, three recent developments in Royce studies might introduce his thought to a much larger audience than ever before. First, there is a critical edition of the works and papers of Josiah Royce underway at the Institute for American Thought at IUPUI. Second, a comprehensive index of the papers of Josiah Royce was recently completed through the hard work and effort of Frank Oppenheim, with assistance from Dawn Aberg and John Kaag. The Josiah Royce Comprehensive Index will give Royce scholars an opportunity to glean new insights into Royce’s writings. Third, there has been an increasing body of literature on Royce’s philosophy published within the last ten years. Recent scholarship on Royce include discussions of Royce’s contributions to feminist epistemology, international relations, medical ethics, logic, pedagogical theory, philosophy of science, race theory, and social philosophy.
- With all the exciting recent developments in Royce studies, this is a good opportunity to reexamine Royce’s philosophy and its place in contemporary thought. This conference is a chance for scholars interested in Royce’s thought to contribute to the studies on this great thinker.
- Submission Guidelines
- Abstract submission is open to any scholar interested in the thought of Josiah Royce from graduate students enrolled at an accredited institution of higher education to senior tenured professors. For an abstract to be considered for acceptance, it must be no more than 500 words in length, and it must be sent as an email attachment no later than August 1, 2011.
- In addition, all submission files must be saved and sent in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format to be considered for acceptance. Please prepare the submission file for blind review and name it “ANON SUBMISSION_ (Insert Paper Title).”
- Each abstract submission should be accompanied by a cover letter, to be submitted as a separate file. The cover letter should include the following information:
- (1) Author’s name
(2) Academic status (professor, unaffiliated, graduate student)
(3) Institutional affiliation (if any)
(4) Mailing address
(5) Email address
(6) Telephone number
(7) Paper title
(8) Eligibility for Costello Prize - Please email your abstract and cover letter to Dwayne Tunstall at tunstald@gvsu.edu. Please write “Royce Society Abstract Submission” in the subject line.
- Notification of Acceptance
- Notifications of acceptance will be made via e-mail no later than August 15, 2011.
- Authors whose abstracts have been accepted and who qualify for the Harry Todd Costello Prize have until September 1, 2011 to submit their completed papers to be considered for the Costello Prize. Completed papers should not exceed 3500 words in length and should be emailed to Dwayne Tunstall at tunstald@gvsu.edu. Please write “Costello Prize Submission” in the subject line.
- For all authors whose abstracts have been accepted, please keep in mind that papers to be presented should not exceed 3500 words in length.
The Harry Todd Costello Prize- The Harry Todd Costello Prize of $300 will be awarded to the best graduate student or recent Ph.D. paper on Royce as selected by the Program Committee. Those who are currently graduate students or whose Ph.D. was awarded after April 15, 2006 are eligible for the Costello Prize. Papers will be judged on scholarship, clarity of presentation, excellence of argument, and the contribution made to the development of Royce’s ideas and Roycean thought.
Posted April 19th, 2011
First-Ever Critical Edition of Josiah Royce Begins at IUPUI
This summer another great American thinker is joining the ranks at the Institute for American Thought (IAT). A critical edition of the works and papers of Josiah Royce (1855-1916) becomes the fifth critical edition at the Institute and the first-ever for this American philosopher.
Royce is in good company at the IAT, a research unit of the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts, with academic programs in Documentary Editing and American Studies. Of the five Classic American Philosophers, the critical editions of three are now located at IUPUI: Charles Peirce, George Santayana, and Josiah Royce. Editions of the works of the final two, William James and John Dewey are completed.
“The Josiah Royce critical edition is digital from start to finish,” said project director and IAT director David Pfeifer. “It is unique both at the IAT and among the other editions on the Classic American Philosophers that have been completed or in progress.”
Josiah Royce was born in a mining camp in California, attended and taught at the University of California, Berkeley, studied in Germany, received a Ph.D. from the first research doctoral university in the United States, The Johns Hopkins University, and spent the bulk of his career at Harvard University as a colleague to William James and an instructor and colleague of George Santayana. Royce’s early work is associated with Idealism, but he was influenced greatly by the Pragmatism of William James and Charles Peirce. The later works of Royce, with a focus on interpretation and community, are now recognized as significant contributions to Pragmatism and the history of philosophy. A wider knowledge of Royce’s later works led to a re-birth in interest in his thought which led to the desire for a critical edition.
“A critical edition seeks to remain close to the author’s intention while disclosing the principles for deciding what version of the text to publish and any editorial changes made to it,” explained Pfeifer.
Such editions provide an explanation and documentation of the compositional history of the text and its publication history. An important element is to undo any changes that were made silently by previous publishers without the consent of the author. When the text is in manuscript form, a list of the author’s substantial alterations is created. Annotations, sometimes very long, are provided which describe and define uncommon concepts and theories, identify individuals, and supply references for quotations without citations.
Editing will take place at diverse locations, but all materials are posted to an IAT website. The General Editor is Randall Auxier of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Text editing will be done by the Center for Dewey Studies at Southern Illinois University. Editors for the first volume are at Texas A & M University and the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. The IAT is the repository for the paper copies of texts and manuscripts and is the computer center for receiving, posting, and hosting all the materials of the edition. The digital volumes that result will be online, hosted by Indiana University.
The Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research and the Office of the Dean of the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts generously provided some initial funding to launch the edition. National Endowment for the Humanities funding and other grant opportunities will be sought for the continued support of the critical edition of Royce’s work.
Posted August 28th, 2010
Josiah Royce Society Session @ APA-Eastern, 2010
TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 28th, 2010
GROUP SESSION VI – 7:30 - 10:30 P.M.
GVI - 7. Personalist Discussion Group and Josiah Royce Society
7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Topic: Review of Dwayne Tunstall’s Yes, But Not Quite
Chair: Jason Bell (Mount Allison University)
Speakers: Kara Barnette (University of Oregon)
“The Will to Interpret, the Will to Love: Agape, Loyalty, and
Royce’s Beloved Community”
Michael Brodrick (Vanderbilt University)
“Valuational Metaphysics”
Kipton Jensen (Emory University)
“Revisionist Readings: On Personalism and Absolute Pragmatism in
Royce”
Commentator: Dwayne Tunstall (Grand Valley State University)
Posted August 18th, 2010
John E. Smith Memorial Essay Contest
The Josiah Royce Society is pleased to announce a special essay competition in honor of the late Professor John E. Smith. The contest is open to both graduate students and persons who have held a Ph.D. or its equivalent for no more than five years. The Royce Society seeks original essays that examine or extend John E. Smith's important contributions to Royce studies.
All submissions should be prepared for blind review and sent as e-mail attachments (preferably Microsoft Word documents, RTF files, or PDF files) to Dwayne Tunstall, Royce Society Vice President, at tunstald@gvsu.edu. Please remember to write "John E. Smith Essay Contest Submission" in the subject line of your e-mail. Also remember to provide contact information with your submission, including mailing address, institutional affiliation, phone number, and a brief statement explaining how you meet the eligibility requirement. This information can be placed either in the body of the e-mail or in a separate cover letter.
All submissions are due by
A $500 prize will be awarded to the author of the winning essay at the 2011 meeting of the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy, during the Royce Society’s special session honoring the legacy of John E. Smith.
Posted July 11th, 2010
Links to 2010 Central APA Papers
Kaitlin O'Donnell: "Within Plain Sight: Royce, Public Monuments, and the Ethic of Atonement" Click here: http://www.mediafire.com/?1zfve1jyeyn
Posted January 20th, 2010
2009 Eastern APA Royce Panel
Session GIV-5
Monday December 28, 2:00--4:00 p.m.
Topic: A Bridge Between Royce and Husserl
Chair: Michael Brodrick (Vanderbilt University)
Speaker: Jason M. Bell, "The German Translation of Royce's Epistemology by Husserl's Student Winthrop Bell: A Neglected Bridge of Pragmatic-Phenomenological Interpretation?"
Commentator: Michael Brodrick (Vanderbilt University)
Posted December 20th, 2009
CALL FOR PAPERS!
Responding to the December, 2009 death of the seminal American philosopher, John E. Smith, The Journal of Speculative Philosophy announces a future special issue devoted to “The Philosophy of John E. Smith.” The Journal editors invite submissions on any aspect of John E. Smith’s philosophy: its meaning, scope, philosophical import and influence, or professional impact and broader reach. Submitted papers should not be wholly expository or merely explications of texts. Manuscripts should not exceed 25 pages (or approximately 6,250 words) and should be double-spaced, with endnotes and a list of works cited following the text. Submissions (in Microsoft Word 6.0 or higher, rich text format, or simple text) must be sent electronically to JSpecPhil@gmail.com. The deadline for receipt of complete manuscripts is 1 December 2010. Inquiries about this special issue should be directed to Vincent M. Colapietro (vxc5@psu.edu), editor of this special issue and Journal co-editor (with John J. Stuhr; jstuhr@emory.edu).
Posted December 12th, 2009
2010 Central APA Royce Session
Topic: Does Royce Have Anything Worthwhile to Contribute to Aesthetics, Political Philosophy, and Race Theory?
Chair: Dwayne A. Tunstall (Grand Valley State University)
Speaker: Judith M. Green (Fordham University) “Public Reasons, Private Tastes, and Personal Opinions in Deliberative Democratic Politics”
Speaker: Kaitlin O’Donnell (Temple University) “Within Plain Sight: Royce, Public Monuments, and the Ethic of Atonement”
Speaker: Tommy J. Curry (Texas A&M University) "On the Dark Arts: Problematizing Royce’s Assimilative Arts as a Response to LeConte’s 'Southern Problems'”
Posted October 28th, 2009
Critical Edition Committee Seeks Advisory Board Members
The Critical Edition Committee will ask the following distinguished scholars to serve on the Advisory Board of the Royce Critical Edition: John Smith (Yale University), Hilary Putnam (Harvard University), David Lamberth (Harvard Divinity School), Cornel West (Princeton University), and Kevin Starr, eminent California historian and fan of Royce.
Posted October 26th, 2009
Volume 1 of Critical Edition Selected
According to the Critical Edition Committee, volume 1 of the proposed critical edition of Royce's writings will be The Sources of Religious Insight. Many Royce scholars view Sources as a transition between The World and the Individual (1900-1902) and The Problem of Christianity (1913). Sources is also seen by scholars as a response to William James's The Varieties of Religious Experience. Critical Edition Committee member Jacquelyn Kegley remarked that Sources "fits well into contemporary concerns" and "would have a broad readership community."
Posted October 26th, 2009
New General Editor for Critical Edition Project
After considering the full magnitude of his commitment to promoting the study of John Dewey's thought and to establishing Dewey centers around the world, Professor Larry Hickman resigned from his position as General Editor of the Royce Critical Edition Project. Fortunately, Hickman and the members of the Critical Edition Committee were able to persuade Professor Randall Auxier to undertake the general editorship of the project in Hickman's place. Auxier is both devoted to the advancement of Royce studies and a Royce scholar. He brings impressive editorial skills to the Royce Critical Edition Project from his experience as editor of the Library of Living Philosophers series and "The Pluralist." Auxier plans to work closely with Hickman and the editorial staff at Southern Illinois University as the Royce Critical Edition Project gets under way.
Posted October 26th, 2009
Success of the Royce Papers Indexing Project!
Professor Frank Oppenheim and the officers of the Josiah Royce Society are pleased to announce the success of the Royce Papers Indexing Project! Professor Oppenheim and his research team have given us two impressive results. The first is a tentative version of the Harvard Archives “Finding Aid” for the Royce Papers. This early form of the research tool is available online by searching “Harvard Archives.” A finalized version should be accessible in the next few months. The second impressive result from Professor Oppenheim and his team is a Comprehensive Index of Royce’s papers (Boxes 1-155). The Comprehensive Index will be virtually completed by October 28, but we need to obtain legal clearance from Royce’s heirs before it can be published on the Internet.
Professor Oppenheim, his research team, and the Josiah Royce Society extend their deep thanks to the many contributors who generously supported the Royce Papers Indexing Project from its earliest days in 2008 to the crucial final period in 2009 when we struggled to make up our budget shortfall. THANK YOU!
We hope you view us as developing a track record of putting your money to good use and of making it go a long way. Less than a decade ago, Royce was all but invisible in academic circles. Now, thanks to your support, we are on the brink of launching a critical edition of Royce’s writings. In January we figured the total cost of the final period of the Indexing Project at $22,000. Professor Oppenheim and his team completed the work for less than $17,000, saving the Royce Society over $5,000. As long as we have your support, we will continue promoting Royce studies vigorously by publishing the Comprehensive Index online and by moving forward with our exciting plans for a critical edition of Royce’s writings. Please help us make up the remaining shortfall from the Indexing Project and obtain legal clearance to publish the Comprehensive Index on the Internet. Your gifts are tax deductible!
Click Button to Donate to the Indexing Project
(you will be asked to specify the amount)
Detailed Instructions for the online payment system
The Josiah Royce Society is recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a charitable organization. Your contribution to the work of the Society is tax-deductible under IRS 501(c)(3) guidelines.
Posted October 26th, 2009
General Editor Named for Royce Critical Edition
Posted March 15th, 2009
SAAP 2009 Session
March 12-14, 2009
Texas A&M University
Hilton College Station and Conference Center
College Station, TX
Thursday, March 12, 2009, 2:00-3:45pm
Mary Mahowald, University of Chicago “Lost Causes and an Idealistic Pragmatism”
Griffin Trotter, St. Louis University “Royce's Lost Cause”
Commentator: John Kaag, University of Massachussetts, Lowell
Chair: Kim Garchar, Kent State University
Friday, March 13, 2009, 6:00-7:00pm
Posted February 12th, 2009
APA 2009 Central Division Session
February 18-22, 2009
Palmer House Hilton
Chicago, IL
Thursday, Feb. 19, Group Session III-6 (7:30 – 10:30 p.m.)
Greg Aldin, Fordham University “Royce and Social Hope”
Bonnie Meyer, Indiana University/Purdue University–Indianapolis “Royce’s Theory of Self: A New Face for Egoism” Jason Bell, Vanderbilt University “Royce’s War Ethics” Chair: Dwayne Tunstall, Grand Valley State University
Posted January 18th, 2009
APA 2008 Eastern Division Session
December 27-30, 2008
Marriott Hotel
Philadelphia, PA
Kelly Parker, Grand Valley State University "Atonement and Eidetic Extinction"
J. Brent Crouch, University of Oregon "The Topology of Atonement: Connection via Creation and Sacrifice"
Respondent: Celia Bardwell-Jones, Towson University
Chair: Michael Brodrick, Vanderbilt University
Posted November 27th, 2008
International Conference on Josiah Royce
June 24-28, 2008
Instytut Filozofii
Opole University
Opole, Poland
"American and European Values IV"
Posted May 24th, 2008
APA 2008 Central Division Session
April 19, 2008
Palmer House Hilton
Chicago, Illinois
"Philosophy of Race"
Jacquelyn Ann Kegley, California State University--Bakersfield “Race as a Factor in the Personal and Social Narrative of the Contextual Human Person”
Tommy J. Curry, Southern Illinois University--Carbondale, “The Lil’ White Man Who Could: Josiah Royce’s Anti-Black Racism as Cultural Perpetuation of White Supremacy”
Commentator: Dwayne Tunstall, Grand Valley State University
Chair: Randall E. Auxier, Southern Illinois University--Carbondale
Posted April 19th, 2008
APA 2008 Pacific Division Session
March 19, 2008
Hilton Pasadena
Pasadena, CA
"Josiah Royce and the Origins of Modern Logic"
Scott L. Pratt, University of Oregon “On the Politics of Disjunction”J. Brent Crouch, San Diego City College “Royce and the Origins of Logicism”
Commentator: Robert Burch, Texas A&M University
Chair: Jacquelyn Ann K. Kegley, California State University-- Bakersfield
Posted February 19th, 2008
SAAP 2008 Annual Meeting Session
Thurs. March 13, 2008
4:15-6:00pm
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Frank M. Oppenheim, Xavier University
Jacqueline Kegley, California State University--Bakersfield
John J. McDermott, Texas A&M University
Kelly Parker, Grand Valley State University
Chair: Bette J. Manter, Curry College
Posted February 13th, 2008
APA 2007 Eastern Division Meeting Session
Friday, Dec. 28, 2007
11:15am -1:15pm
Marriott Waterfront Hotel
Baltimore, MD
J. Brent Crouch, San Diego City University, "Frege, Peirce's Reduction Thesis, and the Logic of Tetrads"
Scott Pratt, University of Oregon, "On the Politics of Disjunction: Russell and the Logic of Action"
Robert Burch, Texas A&M University, "Royce, Boolean Rings, and the T-Relation"
The papers linked above are in PDF (Adobe Acrobat reader) format.
Posted November 28th, 2007
William James and Josiah Royce a Century Later: Pragmatism and Idealism in Dialogue
Lowell Lecture Hall
Harvard University
May 25-27, 2007
Conference Program with Links to
Streaming Video of All Presentations
Posted April 25th, 2007
Pre-Conference Session
May 25, 2007
Congratulations to Alexander V. Stehn, recipient of the Outstanding Essay Award for this session!
Award sponsored by the Josiah Royce Society, the William James Society, and the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy
Gregory Aldin: "Late Royce: An Interpretative Formulation"
Michael Brodrick: "Spirituality and Moral Struggle"
Mathew A. Foust: "William James and the Promise of Pragmatism"
Masato Ishida: "James on Unsmooth Transitions of Events"
Alexander V. Stehn: "William James on the Reality of the Ideal Socius: God's Creation as Our Ethical Task"
The papers linked above are in PDF (Adobe Acrobat reader) format.
Posted April 25th, 2007
email <webmaster@roycesociety.org> | updated 7 september 2011