The Workings of Capital: 
​Perspectives on Exploitation in Law, Labor, and Distribution  

July 15-17, 2021
Online |​University of Minho, Braga - Portugal
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​Where: The school will be held online. We will monitor existing conditions and regulations, and if possible, we will reorganize the event into a blended format, featuring on campus lectures and online sessions. In case of a blended format, the event will be hosted at the Auditorium of the Institute of Letters and Human Sciences (ILCH) at the ​University of Minho. 

Organization: This event is co-organized by the Centre for Ethics, Politics and Society of the University of Minho, and the Philosophy Department at the University of York

Convenors: Catarina Neves, Daniele Santoro, and Pedro Teixeira   
 
Lectures by:
Martin O'Neill - University of York, UK 
Katharina Pistor - Columbia University, USA
Nicholas Vrousalis -Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Bruno Lamas - UL-ISEG
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Description 
Since Marx’s early theorization, exploitation has been identified as a defining feature of the capitalist mode of production. Exploitation sheds light on the causes of the unfair distribution of resources, opportunities, and wealth, the commodification of the labor market, as well as the plundering of natural resources. It has also the normative significance of both a moral wrongdoing and a structural aspect of an unjust system that calls for change, activism, and revolution once again. As inequalities soar, and the concentration of wealth lacerates the social fabric of traditional welfare state societies, the exploitative nature of late stage capitalism has drawn the attention of a new generation of political philosophers, both in the critical and in the analytical traditions.
How does capitalist exploitation take place through legal, distribution and productive means?  How should we understand the conceptual and normative dimensions of exploitation, and what policies should be pursued to create a less exploitative form of production? The goal of the 12th edition is to answer this question by exploring the role exploitation plays within new forms of capitalist production. 
The critique of capitalism is a recurrent theme of the School. In past editions we discussed alternatives to the existing capitalist regime such as property-owning democracy (2014) and democratic socialism (2018). We also questioned the legitimacy of free market capitalism and the role of corporations (2019).  
Our aim in this edition is to elucidate the concept of exploitation, investigate its distributive implications for public policy, its impact on labor and the labor market, and the legal framework enabling exploitative processes. 
 
Among the questions we are particularly interested in debating are the following:   
  • What is exploitation? Is exploitation always unjust? How to distinguish exploitation from other forms of moral wrongdoing? 
  • What taxonomy of exploitation can we identify in capitalistic and socialist regimes?
  • Are new forms of exploitation essentially distinct from traditional forms of exploitation? 
  • What forms of labor are most affected by current forms of exploitation? How can decommodification mitigate individuals’ exploitation in the labor market? 
  • How can policies of predistribution and/or redistribution address issues of exploitation? 
  • Can egalitarian policies mitigate exploitation, and if so, which ones are the most effective?
  • Can exploitation also happen in an egalitarian society, and what can we do about it? 
  • What is the role of the law in perpetuating inequality and exploitation, especially through financial markets?

Format  
The school will take place over three days, in an online format. We are monitoring current restrictions and the development of the pandemic, and closer to the date we will decide on whether the school will be fully online, or held in the blended format. 
Two invited lectures will be delivered each day.
We invite the participation of PhD students, postdoctoral scholars and established researchers to join us in the discussion and present their ongoing work on these topics or any related theme. Abstract proposals should not exceed 500 words. To submit a proposal, please follow the link below. 
Deadline for Abstract Submission: Call for submission is now closed ​
Applicants who only wish to attend the summer school, and do not want to submit a proposal, should only register for the event (see information bellow). 
Participation 
Due to travel restrictions that could still affect on-site participation next Summer, the School is being organized in digital format. We hope that delivering the event in an online format will encourage proposals from many who might be hesitating to commit to an in-person event, giving the current uncertainty. We will be following the changes in travel restrictions, and the regulations in Portugal regarding international academic events. In case the situation changes, we will consider a blended format for the school, and we will inform all participants. More information about the format will be provided closer to the date of the school. We will gather preferences for the school’s format in the registration form. 
 
The participation fee is 30 Euros in case the school takes place online. In case we are able to organize a partial in-person event, we will ask participants to increase the fee up to 50 Euros in order to cover for expenses.  To register, follow the link below.  
The deadline for registration is June 20, 2021 
More information about the program, school format,  accommodation and traveling will be available later on this website. 
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For other queries, please contact us at 12thbragasummerschool@gmail.com