Without exaggeration, uncertainty can be described as the signature of our time. Today, a multitude of crises and challenges confronts us with uncertainty in an often existential manner: from the climate crisis to the COVID pandemic, from the crises of neoliberal hegemony and liberal democracies to the recently re-emerging conflicts about the distribution of power in global society. Not only are possible solutions uncertain, but it is also impossible to anticipate which new crises and challenges may arise soon.

This situation demands the reflection by political theory and the history of ideas, as it brings political coping strategies to their limits and casts doubt on established narratives of modern political theory.

What is needed, therefore, is an open exploration of problems beyond well-rehearsed paradigmatic positions of contemporary political theory. Uncertainty is not only a pressing problem of our time, but a constant companion of the history of political thought – sometimes more and sometimes less so. Reflecting on the problems of our time therefore not only benefits from a synchronic look at the plural theoretical offerings of
the present, but also necessitates a diachronic look at the vicissitudes of the history of political ideas.

Moreover, the uncertainty of the present is unquestionably a problem that cannot be approached solely through the perspective of political theory in a narrow sense: exploratory dialogues between political theory and other sub-disciplines of political science are therefore not only appealing, but indispensable. Beyond the disciplinary perspective of political science, it is essential to include other disciplines that push beyond the narrow viewpoint of Western thought from the outset: the uncertainties we are currently confronted with are mostly global problems, and they belong to a world which is itself characterized by massive inequalities, power asymmetries, conflicts, and epistemic dissonances that not only amplify the uncertainties and insecurities, but also constitute them in the first place.

The congress takes this complex and challenging situation as an opportunity to invite a joint reflection on the problem. It is open to contributions from all directions and paradigms of political theory and the history of ideas placing a strong emphasis on the exchange between political theory and other sub- and neighboring disciplines. Formats that bring political theory and other sub- or neighboring disciplines of political science
into a cooperative or controversial dialogue, and that involve international colleagues are therefore particularly welcome. Colleagues interested in theory from other areas of political science or other disciplines are warmly invited to submit proposals.

The congress will combine panel and plenary formats and, if possible, will offer an English-language International Track to allow international participants to attend English-language events throughout.

In a first phase we invite proposals for panels. Submissions in various formats are possible, whereby no more than 3-4 speakers should be scheduled per panel event:

• Closed, semi-open, and open panels
• panel discussions
• Author meets Critics

Submissions will be selected by a jury composed of organizers. The deadline for submissions of panel proposals of max. 250 words is 31.10.2022. In the case of closed or semi-open panels, the names, lecture titles, and short descriptions of the intended speakers must be provided in addition to the panel description; in the case of panel discussions and Author meets Critics events, the names of the intended discussants
should be included.

The decision on acceptance will be communicated in November 2022. For the accepted semi-open and open formats, a separate Call for Papers will be issued thereafter with a deadline of 08.01.2023.

The congress is organized by the Section for Political Theory and History of Ideas of the German Political Science Association (DVPW). Information can be found on the homepage of the congress: http://www.timesofuncertainty.org/3

Organizers:

Laura Achtelstetter, University of Augsburg (laura.achtelstetter@phil.uni-augsburg.de)
Marlon Barbehön, University of Heidelberg (marlon.barbehoen@ipw.uni-heidelberg.de)
Oliver Flügel-Martinsen, Bielefeld University (oliver.fluegel-martinsen@unibielefeld.de)
Verena Frick, University of Göttingen (verena.frick@uni-goettingen.de)
Viktoria Hügel, University of Heidelberg (viktoria.huegel@ipw.uni-heidelberg.de)
Sebastian Huhnholz, University of Hannover (s.huhnholz@ipw.uni-hannover.de)
Regina Kreide, University of Giessen (Regina.Kreide@sowi-uni-giessen.de)
Christian Leonhard, University of Bremen (chleon@uni-bremen.de)
Samia Mohammed, University of Bremen (samia.mohammed@uni-bremen.de)
Anna Meine, University of Siegen (meine@politikwissenschaft.uni-siegen.de)
Martin Nonhoff, University of Bremen (mnonhoff@uni-bremen.de)
Frank Nullmeier, University of Bremen (frank.nullmeier@uni-bremen.de)
Markus Patberg, University of Hamburg (Markus.Patberg@uni-hamburg.de)
Vanessa Ullrich, Bielefeld University (vanessa.ullrich@uni-bielefeld.de)
Ragna Verhoeven, Bielefeld University (ragna.verhoeven@sciencespo-lille.eu)
For organizational questions, please contact: Christian Leonhard, University of Bremen
(uncertain@uni-bremen.de)