We are delighted to announce that the University of Chicago Divinity School will be the primary host and sponsor for this year's Society for Ricoeur Studies conference. The Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) and Catholic Theological Union (CTU) have partnered as co-sponsors and additional event hosts. We gratefully acknowledge the generous grant provided by the Franke Institute for the Humanities in support of the conference.

This 18th Annual Society for Ricœur Studies Conference entitled "Imagination and Metaphor: Paul Ricoeur at Chicago, 50th Anniversary" will take place October 24-27. Events on October 24-25 (Thursday and Friday) will take place at the University of Chicago Divinity School, located in Swift Hall, on the main quadrangle of the University of Chicago. Events on Saturday, October 26 (all day) are at Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS). Sessions will be held on Sunday, October 27 in the morning and early afternoon at Chicago Theological Union (CTU).

For the 2024 conference, membership and conference fees are waived for members of the University of Chicago community, as well as Chicago Theological Seminary and Catholic Theological Union. This is made possible by the substantial support from the University of Chicago Divinity School and the Franke Institute for the Humanities. Events are open to the UChicago community. To assist us in planning, we encourage pre-registration for UChicago conference participants and attendees. Please register for the conference using the registration form available on the Membership and Conference Fees page.

Keynote Speakers

William Schweiker (University of Chicago)
Annemie Halsema (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Plenary Speakers

George H. Taylor (Pittsburgh University)
Jean-Luc Amalric (EHESS/CRAL, Paris)
Hans Joas (Humboldt University; University of Chicago) - The Nuveen Lecture

Select Agenda

See full agenda here.

Thursday, October 24

Professor William Schweiker will speak on “Imagination, Metaphor, and the Highest Human Good,” Thursday, October 24, 5pm, Lecture Hall

Friday, October 25

Professor Richard Rosengarten will speak on “The Aporia of Metaphor and Narrative: Ricoeur and Eucharistic Theology,” Friday, October 25, 8:30am, Lecture Hall

Professor Sarah Hammerschlag will moderate a book panel on Friday, October 25, 10:30am, Lecture Hall

Professor Richard Rosengarten will moderate a panel on Friday, October 25, 1:30pm, Lecture Hall

PhD student Virginia White will participate in a panel, speaking on “Laughing towards Justice: The Power of Ricoeur’s Productive Imagination for Ethics Amid Structural Evil,” on Friday, October 25, 3:30pm, Common Room

Professor Hans Joas will give a plenary address which also serves as The Nuveen Lecture, “Against the Hegelian Temptation: Global History Without Teleology,” on Friday, October 25, 5:30pm, Lecture Hall

There is a special screening of the film Anuja, providing the opportunity to explore the intersection of Paul Ricoeur’s philosophy of imagination, cinematic storytelling, and social justice themes, Friday, October 25, 8:30pm, Film Studies Center, Cobb Hall