Call for papers

Ladies and gentlemen:

The 3rd Etty Hillesum Ibero-American Conference: ‘A Humanism for the New Era’ will take place at the SDivine Hotel in Fátima, Portugal, at the invitation of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Catholicism and Globalisation, based in Portugal, and the Etty Hillesum Foundation, based in Colombia. The city of Fátima will have the honour of hosting a distinguished group of academics specialising in the humanities and social sciences.

We invite you to submit papers inspired by the following proposal and thematic areas:

Humanism has been identified as the central theme, recognising that it is a term which, throughout history, has been interpreted in many different ways: from the anthropocentric shift in Ancient Philosophy, through the exaltation of human dignity in the Renaissance, to modern political and cultural projects that sought to build fairer societies by placing human beings at the centre.

In Etty Hillesum’s experience and writing, this concept takes on a profoundly personal and transformative dimension. For Etty, humanism is neither an abstraction nor a political programme, but a concrete way of being in the world, even amidst the most adverse conditions. Her testimony shows us that what is human is preserved and reinvented within our inner selves, in our relationships with others, and in the way we fulfil our responsibilities, both individual and communal.

From this perspective, the Third Etty Hillesum Ibero-American Conference: ‘A Humanism for the New Era’ aims to create a space for reflection and dialogue centred on an embodied humanism, capable of responding to today’s challenges. The thematic strands seek to shed light on central aspects of Etty’s vision: individual responsibility arising from inner work and the recognition of one’s own inner turmoil; love as an active force of resistance against dehumanisation; and radical empathy, which serves as a bridge towards building a more caring community.

In a global context marked by social fragmentation, violence and indifference, Etty Hillesum’s voice reminds us that transformation begins within each person but does not end there; it extends into our encounters with others and into the building of a shared horizon of meaning and hope. For this reason, this conference seeks not only to explore the richness of her thought, but also to draw inspiration from it to recreate a humanism that embraces vulnerability, promotes solidarity and increases, as she would say, the ‘reserve of love on earth’.

We propose the following thematic areas and guiding questions:

1. Humanism and individual responsibility: on the role of personal responsibility in building a more humane world, following Etty’s premise of looking within and coming to terms with one’s own ‘chaos’.

1. 1. What role does spirituality play in shaping individual responsibility?
   2. What role does spirituality play in building a sense of communal responsibility?
   3. On what criteria is individual responsibility based in Etty Hillesum’s proposal?
   4. How can we conceive of individual responsibility without falling into individualism?

2. Love as active resistance: Etty Hillesum’s conception of love not merely as a feeling, but as a transformative force and a form of resistance against dehumanisation.

1. 1. What is the relationship between humanism and love in Etty Hillesum’s thinking?
   2. Why is love important as an active presence in the project of building a more humane world?
   3. How can we resist with love in today’s world?

3. Relationships with others and radical empathy: Etty Hillesum’s example of empathy and compassion as an inspiration for the contemporary world.

1. 1. How does Etty Hillesum conceive of relationships with others in conditions of extreme suffering?
   2. What role does spirituality play in relation to empathy?

4. A humanism for the new era:

1. 1. What does Etty Hillesum contribute to our thinking about a humanism for our present day?
   2. How does Etty Hillesum understand humanism and its relevance in the contemporary world?

These are some of the questions we might ask ourselves in relation to this topic, which may serve as a guide for proposing papers and their in-person presentation in Fátima. The idea is to explore one of the proposed thematic areas in greater depth, drawing on the experience of Etty Hillesum. It is also possible to do so by comparing Etty’s experience with that of other spiritual witnesses, philosophers, thinkers, certain categories, etc.

Submission of paper proposals:

For those interested in submitting a paper, please send it by 11 October 2026 at the latest by email to encuentro-ettyhillesum-2027@creciendoconetty.org in both Word and PDF formats, using Times New Roman 12 font with 1.5-line spacing:

• the title of the paper,
• the thematic area and an abstract (180 words)

 Confirmation and acceptance emails for the selected proposals will be sent out during the week of 9 to 15 November.

We look forward to hearing from you,
Yours faithfully,
Scientific Committee
III Etty Hillesum Ibero-American Meeting