Second Conference - Calabar

Our second conference will take place in Calabar, Nigeria, from 14-16 September 2026. This event is organised in collaboration with the Conversational School of Philosophy, Nigeria, the Department of Philosophy, University of Calabar, Nigeria, and the Department of Philosophy, Federal University Otuoke, Nigeria.

Our theme will be: Spiritual Realities, Meaning in Life and Human Flourishing in African Philosophy of Religion

Details of the application process for speakers  can be found here, and a full call for papers is available here. For further information contact gpr@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Overview of the Conference Theme

African Traditional Religion(s), or ATRs, often revolve around (i) belief in the existence of certain spiritual entities like God, lesser deities, ancestors, malevolent spirits, or vital forces, (ii) spiritual practices like the veneration of ancestors, and (iii) a view of the universe as (necessarily) relational in nature, etc. Adherents of ATRs often believe that certain ways of relating with these entities can promote or impede meaning in/of life and/or human flourishing. For instance, spiritual realities like God, lesser deities, and ancestors are sometimes believed to reward ethical living with worldly happiness and contentment (Mbiti 1969; Idowu 1973; Molefe 2019). Consequently, a meaningful life can be a life that involves pursuing a God-given purpose (or one’s destiny), honouring communal values, establishing a relationship with one’s ancestors (and thus legitimating their existence), augmenting one’s vitality through worship, ritual, good works, etc., while eschewing evil, etc.

Furthermore, a life that is morally laudable and has been lived in the service of others (the community), qualifies an individual for postmortem existence as an ancestor in the African afterlife, a realm of increased vitality where the ancestor enjoys a significantly lengthy period of contented existence and continuing communion with living relatives (Mbiti 1969; Wiredu 1992; Attoe 2023).

This conference aims to explore African and Afro-Diasporic spirituality, as well as the nature of spiritual realities in ATRs and in syncretic religions that includes ATRs elements from a philosophical perspective. The conference especially aims to explore the relationship between human beings and these spiritual realities, and how such relationships might engender meaning in life and human flourishing as exemplified by hope, optimism, fortitude, gratitude, joy, contentment, cheerfulness, and other indicators of subjective wellbeing.