The ninth Annual Oxford Animal Ethics Summer School will be held at Merton College, Oxford, from 5th–8th August 2024 and the theme is “Animal thinkers: Celebrating the pioneers of ethical sensitivity to animals”.

Ethical sensitivity to animals has been pioneered throughout the world by key individuals. Some of these, like Henry Bergh, William Wilberforce and John Wesley are well known, but most are not. The aim of the 2024 Summer School is to recognise the thinkers and doers – both historical and contemporary – who have made strides for animals, including the well-known, the lesser known, and even the unknown. Here is the call for papers. 

The Summer School is now in its ninth year. The 2023 Summer School attracted over 70 speakers and 150 attendees from all over the globe. 

The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is inviting academics and intellectuals from all disciplines, including historians, biographers, philosophers, social scientists, psychologists, theologians, lawyers and anthropologists (plus other disciplines that have something to offer on the subject) to join them in recognising the pioneers of animal protection worldwide. 

People wishing to put themselves forward as a speaker are asked to send abstracts, of no more than 150 words, of potential presentations to Clair Linzey. The deadline for submissions is 1st February 2024.

All selected papers will also be considered for publication in book form or in the Journal of Animal Ethics.

The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is an independent centre pioneering ethical perspectives on animals through academic research, teaching, and publication. The Centre comprises more than 100 academic Fellows worldwide.