Ethics at Notre Dame symposium (ENDs)

Call for Abstracts

We invite submissions of abstracts for ENDs 2027, which will be held at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, 2027. Abstracts should be between 750 and 1,000 words (inclusive of everything but the bibliography). Abstracts must be prepared for blind review. The title of the proposed paper should be included at the top of the document, above the abstract. Save the abstract as a PDF with the paper’s title as its name (e.g., “Paper’s Title.pdf”) and attach it to an email sent to ends@nd.edu with the subject heading “Abstract for ENDs 2027.” The deadline is noon (EST) on Sunday, December 6, 2026. The proposed paper must be on normative ethics and relate to the theme “Ethics Beyond Action.” We are especially interested in submissions that aim to open up new lines of inquiry relating to this theme.

Possible topics under this theme include but are not limited to: (1) moral education; (2) moral perception; (3) moral virtues and vices; (4) morally relevant feelings, attitudes, and emotions; (5) moral ideals and individual and cultural moral improvement; (6) whether things besides actions (such as beliefs, biases, feelings, perceptions, dispositions, etc.) can be right or wrong; (7) whether it’s important that a moral theory not be exclusively act-oriented; (8) whether the motive or intention with which an act is performed is important to its moral assessment; (9) the epistemological relevance of the emotions to deontic and evaluative assessment; (10) whether it matters, morally speaking, what sorts of reasons or motives we act upon; (11) whether we can be morally responsible for things that are not under our voluntary control; etc.

Submissions will be evaluated by the organizers, and decisions will be finalized in mid-January. The plan is for there to be around eight to ten speakers, all of whom will be chosen on the basis of the abstracts—thus, no keynotes. The authors of accepted abstracts will be expected to provide drafts of their papers for distribution to ENDs attendees at least four weeks in advance of the conference. Authors will have 30-45 minutes to present their papers at the conference, followed by Q&A. These papers must not be published, accepted for publication, or submitted for publication prior to the conclusion of the conference, for speakers should be willing to consider including their papers in any anthology or symposium that the organizers possibly arrange. Speakers will not be required to include their papers, but they should be open to doing so depending on what the organizers are able to arrange. Since abstracts will be reviewed anonymously, those affiliated with the University of Notre Dame are welcome to submit to ENDs.

Lastly, those who are either currently enrolled in a graduate program or within fifteen (15) years of having received their Ph.D should note that we offer a $5,000 prize for the most outstanding paper by an early-career scholar (see below).

Goals

ENDs has two main goals: (1) to promote work on certain particularly important topics in normative ethics and (2) to support scholars, especially early-career ones, in developing their ideas on these topics for publication.

The first goal will be achieved by encouraging new research on specific themes. For each conference, there will be a call for abstracts related to that conference’s theme. Additionally, for each conference after the first, there will be a call for theme proposals. Those with ideas for a possible theme are invited to submit a proposal explaining why new work on this theme should be encouraged and suggesting two potential guest co-organizers, who may include themselves.

The second goal will be achieved by having all the organizers, including the two guest co-organizers, provide written feedback on all the presented papers. And since we’re especially keen to receive submissions from early-career scholars, we will provide authors with advice and mentorship where appropriate. What’s more, the organizers will be looking into the possibility of having the presented papers published as a book anthology or a journal symposium and will be exploring these possibilities with authors at or before the conference.

Organizers

Doug Portmore and Katie O’Dell serve as the chief organizers of the conference from the University of Nortre Dame..

Cheshire Calhoun (Arizona State University) and Tom Dougherty (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) serve as the guest organizers for the 2027 ENDs conference.

Call for Theme Proposals

We invite submissions of proposals for possible themes for ENDs 2029, which will be held at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, on May 4–5, 2029 (these dates are tentative). Proposals must be fewer than 1,000 words (inclusive of everything). Proposals must suggest a theme within normative ethics, provide a list of possible topics that fall under that theme, and explain why it is important to encourage new work in this area. The proposal should include the names and CVs of two people willing to serve as guest co-organizers for ENDs 2029.

Each of these two guest co-organizers will receive a $3,000 stipend and have their conference expenses covered. In exchange, they will attend the conference and assist with (a) writing the call for abstracts, (b) reviewing submitted abstracts, (c) selecting recipients for the associated grants and awards, (d) evaluating theme proposals for the next conference, and (e) providing feedback to authors with a view to publication as well as advice and mentorship where appropriate.

Proposals should discuss how they might assist authors in getting their papers published and what, if any, suggestions they have for publishing the papers (e.g., as a book anthology or a journal symposium).

Save the proposal, including the two CVs, as a single PDF with the theme as its name (e.g., “Theme.pdf”) and attach it to an email sent to ends@nd.edu with the subject heading “Theme Proposal for ENDs 2029.”

The deadline is noon (EST) on Sunday, March 29, 2027. Submissions will be evaluated by the organizers, and decisions will be finalized in late April 2027.

Financial Support

ENDs receives generous financial support from the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good and the University’s Ethics Initiative. Thanks to this support, ENDs can cover travel expenses (up to $900 for flights), food, and accommodations for up to five (5) individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford to attend.

These Financial Assistance Grants will cover the cost of attending the conference and are open to contingent faculty, graduate students, independent scholars, and others facing financial hardship. Recipients will be chosen by the organizers. Each recipient of these grants will be asked to chair a session of the conference.

To apply, please email ends@nd.edu with the subject heading “Grant Application for ENDs 2027.” Include your CV and a brief description of why you are applying for a grant (including an indication of your institutional support, if applicable, and how attending this conference would benefit you). The deadline to apply for a Financial Assistance Grant is noon (EST) on Friday, February 19, 2027.

Early-Career Scholar Prize

To encourage the participation of early-career scholars, we offer a prize of $5,000 for the most outstanding paper by an early-career scholar. The prize competition is open to any speaker who is either currently enrolled in a graduate program or within fifteen (15) years of having received their Ph.D. The recipient of this prize will be chosen by the organizers. If you wish to be considered for this prize, please indicate your eligibility when you submit your paper for distribution to ENDs attendees, which you must do at least four weeks in advance of the conference.

Program

The program for ENDs 2027 will be posted in mid-January of 2027.

Registration

Everyone who registers for ENDs 2027 is welcome to attend, and registration is free. Please register by April 1, 2027. To register, please click here. 

Inclusivity and Accessibility

At the University of Notre Dame, “we welcome all people, regardless of color, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, social or economic class, and nationality…. We consciously create an environment of mutual respect, hospitality and warmth in which none are strangers and all may flourish." Learn more.

We are also committed to making the workshop accessible to disabled attendees. Please feel free to let us know about any accommodations you need by emailing us at ends@nd.edu.

Lastly, to help make ENDs financially accessible, we offer five financial assistance grants for contingent faculty, graduate students, independent scholars, and others facing financial hardship (see above).

Transportation

Please note that the University of Notre Dame is located in the Eastern time zone, 90 miles east of Chicago, which is located in the Central time zone.

Transportation to and from the University of Notre Dame (or any of the nearby hotels) is available via South Bend International Airport (SBN), which is five miles from campus. The easiest way to get to and from SBN and campus (or any of the nearby hotels) is to take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft, which will take about 15-20 minutes. Options for taxis include South Bend Taxi Services, United Cab, and Eagle Cab. We recommend pre-booking a taxi or rideshare if you’re coming in during off-hours.

Daily, direct flights to and from SBN are available from Minneapolis and Atlanta (Delta Airlines), Chicago (United), and Dallas/Forth Worth and Charlotte (American Airlines). Non-stop flights from Phoenix/Mesa, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Tampa Bay are available with Allegiant Airlines on certain days of the week.

Note that American Airlines has a direct “luxury” bus service (operated by The Landline Company) for its passengers between South Bend (SBN) and Chicago O'Hare (ORD). The bus is given a flight number (e.g., AA 6566) and is boarded and disembarked from a post-security, airport gate. This provides a seamless "gate-to-gate" experience for AA ticket holders. Note that the bus can take 2 hours and 45 minutes gate to gate compared to a short flight of around 1 hour and 15 minutes gate to gate.

Other transportation options include:

• Train:

• If you are flying into Chicago O'Hare (ORD), you can take the CTA blue line from the airport to Washington station, get off and walk to Millennium Station, and then take the South Shore line to South Bend airport (which is also a train station). From there, take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft to campus or any of the nearby hotels.

• If you are flying into Chicago Midway (MDW), you can take the CTA orange line from the airport to Washington/Wabash station, get off and walk to Millenium Station, and then take the South Shore line to South Bend airport (which is also a train station). From there, take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft to campus or any of the nearby hotels.

• Rental Car: The drive to South Bend from Chicago (both ORD and MDW) is around two hours (about 102 miles) and includes several tolls. The drive to South Bend from Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is two and half hours (about 162 miles).

More information about traveling to the University of Notre Dame can be found at https://www.nd.edu/about/visit/.

Lodging

Options include:

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites (adjacent to campus)
2-Star Hotel
1220 E Angela Blvd, South Bend, IN 46617
+1-574-234-5510

Embassy Suites by Hilton (adjacent to campus)
3-Star Hotel
1140 E Angela Blvd, South Bend, IN 46617
+1-574-400-2600

Ivy Court Inn & Suites (adjacent to campus)
3-Star Hotel
1404 Ivy Ct, South Bend, IN 46637
+1-574-277-6500

Morris Inn (on campus)
4-Star Hotel
1399 N Notre Dame Ave, South Bend, IN 46617
+1-574-631-2000

Graduate students interested in attending but unable to fund the hotel stay might be able to find lodging with local graduate students. Email Katie O'Dell (kodell2@nd.edu) to inquire about this option. They should, of course, also consider applying for a financial assistance grant. (See above.) 

Meals and Catering

• Tea, coffee, and other beverages will be provided throughout the day during the sessions on Friday and Saturday.

• Catered snacks will be provided at the venue during certain breaks between the sessions on Friday and Saturday.

• A light catered continental breakfast will be provided at the venue before the sessions on Friday and Saturday.

• A catered lunch will be provided at the venue on Friday and Saturday during the lunch break.

• There will be sponsored dinners on both Friday and Saturday evenings. Attendees may have to pay for their alcoholic beverages.

• Sunday’s outing will be sponsored and transportation will be provided.

Post-Conference Sunday Outing

For ENDs attendees interested and willing to spend an extra night, we will be organizing an outing on the Sunday following the conference—perhaps, to Lake Michigan. Following that outing, there will be an informal gathering at Doug Portmore’s house or a nearby pub. We are able to cover an additional night’s stay (Sunday night) for all the speakers, the two guest co-organizers, and the five financial assistance grant recipients provided they’re interested in attending the Sunday outing and evening gathering. 

Helpful Info

• Connecting Eduroam or ND-Guest WiFi

• Campus Map

• University of Notre Dame’s Guest and Visitor Parking Info

• Explore South Bend

• Explore the University of Notre Dame

• Places for Coffee: Participants can get coffee from Starbucks on Eddy Street, Cafe J in the Morris Inn (which probably has the best coffee), and Starbucks at LaFortune Student Center, Au Bon Pain on the first floor of Hesburgh library, and the Hagerty Family Café at Duncan Student Center

• Places to Eat:

• • On-Campus Options:

    • There are two restaurants on campus: Rohr’s and Legends.

    • Pre-made and made-to-order options are available at Au Bon Pain (located on the first floor of Hesburgh library). The Duncan Student Center offers Chick-Fil-A, Hagerty Family Café (coffee, sandwiches, pastries, smoothies, gelato), and Modern Market (salads, sandwiches, bowls, and pizza). The LaFortune Student Center offers Taco Bell, FujiSan (sushi, poke bowls), Street Fare (burgers, tacos, bowls). Garbanzo (Mediterranean fast casual handhelds and bowls) is located in the Hesburgh Center. For more information, see https://dining.nd.edu/locations-menus/.

  • Eddy Street Commons is adjacent to campus. It features a handful of restaurants, including Jinya (ramen) and Barrio (tacos). See eddycommons.com.

Contact

Please send all inquiries to ends@nd.edu.