Past and Future Conferences

John Dewey's Experience & Nature: A Centennial Celebration

October 16-19, 2025 • Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

As 2025 marked the centennial of the publication of John Dewey’s monumental work, Experience and Nature, we convened a conference to celebrate this anniversary at the Center for Dewey Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Dewey is one of the most well-known philosophers, educators, and public intellectuals in American history, and recognition of his significance is on the rise. Dewey’s Experience and Nature provides the definitive statement of Dewey’s “empirical naturalism” (or “naturalistic humanism”), a metaphysical approach that is pro-science without being overly scientistic, undermines centuries of philosophical question-begging, and offers an alternative to theories that set humans against nature, society, and, ultimately, themselves. The work focuses on philosophical method, the metaphysics of nature, and the philosophy of mind; it also situates Dewey’s theories of knowledge, meaning, art, and value within its naturalist-humanist metaphysics. Though long an object of study among Dewey scholars, the book’s significance for contemporary thought in a variety of fields remains underappreciated. Experience and Nature has much to offer contemporary discussions in philosophy, history, aesthetic theory, psychology, and anthropology. This conference will bring together Dewey scholars and other contemporary thinkers both inspired by Dewey and working on relevant topics in Dewey’s spirit.

Archived website

John Dewey, Race, and Colonialism Workshop

October 17-19, 2024 • Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

This workshop presents various perspectives and reevaluations of the work and legacy of John Dewey as concerns race, racism, and colonialism, and in doing so, makes use of recently published primary source documents by American philosopher and educator John Dewey, as well as recent research on Dewey and in philosophy of race, postcolonial and decolonial theory, critical race studies, the history of American philosophy, and environmental pragmatism and ecofeminism. The goal is neither hagiography nor condemnation of Dewey as an individual, but rather to explore two interrelated goals. First, the contributors to this workshop seek to investigate Dewey, the influential public intellectual, as a central node in networks of thought and action as concerns opposition to racism and colonialism, as well as networks that entrench white ignorance and imperialism. Second, contributors seek to take Dewey, the pragmatist philosopher and social thinker, alone and in dialogue with others, as an imperfect but valuable resource and starting point for theory and scholarship on race and antiracism, post- and decolonial theory, and cultural pluralism. 

Archived Website 

John Dewey and His Legacy for Education

October 12-14, 2023 • Southern Illinois University • Carbondale, IL

Join us in celebrating the reopening of the Center for Dewey Studies with an international conference on John Dewey’s legacy! The Center for Dewey Studies, the School of Education, the School of History & Philosophy, and the Morris Library at Southern Illinois University are hosting an interdisciplinary, international conference celebrating the legacy of John Dewey for education, broadly construed. Dewey’s pragmatist and progressive philosophy of education has had a significant, worldwide impact on theory, policy, and practice for well over a century, and the significance of and appreciation for his ideas continues to grow. In particular, Dewey’s philosophy of education has been highly influential on education theory and pedagogical practice in China in recent years. This conference will explore Dewey’s philosophical and practical contributions, especially with respect to the study and practices of education, as well as further developments of Dewey’s ideas in contemporary theory and practice. 

It is with sincere gratitude that we acknowledge the vital support provided by Mr. Jun Zhou and the Maitreya International Community. Their generosity helps us strengthen the legacy of John Dewey.

Archived Website

Democracy, Scientific Experts, and Public Opinion: A Centennial of The Public and Its Problems and the Dewey-Lippmann Exchange

Fall 2027 • Dates TBA by October 2026

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Tentatively planned: 

Centennial Celebration of Dewey's The Quest for Certainty

Fall 2029