Social ontology is integral to the study of society. It is impossible to inquire into the social world without some understanding, at least tacitly, concerning the entities which make up that world and their properties and powers. However social ontology remains an often confused and contentious matter within the social sciences.

The first Centre for Social Ontology PhD and ECR conference seeks to address this matter through papers exploring the role of social ontology within sociology. This could include but is by no means limited to:

• The relationship between tacit assumptions concerning social ontology and reflective theoretical positions
• Social ontology and the formulation of research questions
• Social ontology as a topic standing at the interface between the social sciences and philosophy
• The methodological implications of social ontology
• The ontological assumptions implied by research methods
• The social ontology of particular areas of inquiry e.g. social movements or digital technology
• Disciplinary differences in approaches to social ontology
• Social ontology and philosophical under-labouring
• The limits of social ontology and where under-labouring has to stop
• New directions in sociological research through questions of social ontology

The conference is open to all PhD students and Early Career Researchers with an interest in social ontology.

Please send abstracts of 200 words or less and a short biographical note to socialontology@warwick.ac.uk by May 1st

The Conference will be held on the 23rd June from 10am-4pm