The Oxford Spinoza Conference is an annual gathering dedicated to exploring the myriad cross-disciplinary manners in which Benedict Spinoza has contributed to the history of philosophy and continues to shape our understanding of the world. This event will be organised with the support of the Maison Française d’Oxford.

The fourth edition will take place at Pembroke College on Thursday 7 May 2026. The theme of this year’s conference is:

Spinoza in Context: War, Peace, Slavery & Colonialism

Keynote Speakers

• Jonathan Israel: Spinoza and the Anglo-Dutch Wars
• Hasana Sharp: Spinoza and Slavery

The theme will colour the keynotes, but the papers shall span the breadth and depth of Spinoza’s writing and reception. They will also reach across all generations of Spinoza scholars, from students to early career researchers and experienced academics. 

The conference will be open to all and free to attend. To register, please simply send an email to osc@pmb.ox.ac.uk before 7 May.

Scientific Committee

James Read, Mogens Lærke, Olivier de France

Scientific Coordination

Olivier de France

8.30-9.00

Coffee Reception in the Harold Lee Room

Welcome by

James Read (Pembroke)

Part One — War & Conflict

Chair: Olivier Yasar de France (Pembroke)

9.00-10.15

Opening Keynote

Jonathan Israel (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton)

Spinoza on War and Peace in the Midst of the Anglo-Dutch Wars

10.15-11.00

Jack Stetter (Louisiana State)

‘Duae civitates natura hostes sunt’: States as Enemies in Spinoza’s Political Treatise 

11.00-11.30

Refreshments on the Isaacson Terrace

11.30-12.15

Mark Malkovich (Sofia St. Kliment)

Two Realisms in Dialogue: Spinoza, Condé, and the Case for Peace in a Desacralized World of War

Part Two — Concord & Democracy

Chair: Susan James (King’s College London)

12.15-1.00

Ericka Tucker (Marquette)

Epistemic Democracy and Spinoza’s Political Epistemology

1.00-2.30

Lunch for speakers

2.30-3.15

Antonio Borge (Nottingham)

Towards an Objectivist Reading of Spinoza’s Panpsychism

Part Three — Slavery & Colonialism

Chair: Mogens Lærke (CNRS, MFO)

3.15-4.00

Bernardo Bianchi (Centre Marc Bloch)

Republicanism and the Figure of the ‘Indian’: Van den Enden in Spinoza’s Political Milieu

4.00-4.30

Refreshments on the Isaacson Terrace

4.30-5.15

Ruben Noorloos (UCD)

Van den Enden on Slavery and Equality

5.15-6.30

Closing Keynote

Hasana Sharp (McGill)

Spinoza and Slavery

Concluding words by

The Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder, Master of Pembroke