BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

Theme: Philosophy and Civic Engagement

Recognizing that the highly-polarized nature of contemporary society has left many educators reluctant to discuss important but potentially controversial topics in classrooms and other communities, PLATO is excited to focus our upcoming conference on Philosophy and Civic Engagement. This theme reflects PLATO’s commitment to addressing the pressing challenges of our time by equipping educators with the tools they need to facilitate open, respectful, and productive dialogues about what are often contentious issues. Educators, students, and other scholars and community leaders will come together to share innovative ideas, best practices, and research findings that advance our understanding of the vital connection between philosophy and civic engagement.

The preliminary conference schedule is as follows:

Friday

9-10:30 am Plenary (interactive activity for all attendees)

11-12:30 Presentations

12:30-2 pm Lunch (provided)

2-3:30 pm Workshops

4-5:30 pm Presentations

5:30-7 pm Reception

Saturday

10-11:30 am Plenary Panel Discussion: Embracing Difficult Conversations: The Intersection of Ethics and Civics Education (see below)

11:45-1:15 pm Workshops

1:15-2:30 pm Lunch (provided)

2:30-4 pm Workshops

4 pm Closing remarks

Embracing Difficult Conversations: The Intersection of Ethics and Civics Education
On Saturday morning, there will be a panel discussion about the importance of facilitating classroom discussions on controversial political and social issues, strategies for discussion, and the ways in which deeper ethical discourse can enrich these conversations.

Panelists

Allison Cohen is the president of PLATO’s Board of Directors and an Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Philosophy teacher at Langley High School in McLean, VA. She also teaches the AP Capstone Seminar and Research classes. She is dedicated to bringing quality philosophy curricula to high schools across the nation and expanding opportunities for students to engage in philosophical questioning and reasoning, and also serves on the board of directors for Street Law, a national nonprofit committed to preserving and enhancing civics education in our schools.

 

Dr. Peter Levine is an Associate Dean and the Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs in Tufts University’s Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Life. He is a political philosopher and political scientist who specializes on civic life and has helped to develop Civic Studies as an international intellectual movement. He is the author of eight books, including most recently We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: The Promise of Civic Renewal in America.

 

 

Dr. Jana Mohr Lone is PLATO’s Executive Director and holds an affiliate appointment in philosophy at the University of Washington. She is the author of many books and articles about young people’s philosophical thinking, including Seen and Not Heard (2021), The Philosophical Child (2012), and most recently What Would You Do? (2024) (six picture books about ethics). She has led philosophy classes with students from kindergarten to graduate school for over 25 years. Her work focuses on taking seriously the voices of young people.

 

Dr. Sarah Stitzlein is Professor of Education and Philosophy at the University of Cincinnati. She uses political philosophy to uncover problems in democracy and envision solutions, often through educational interventions. She is editor of the journal Democracy & Education and former president of the John Dewey Society and the Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society. In 2021 she assisted the National Academy of Education in writing a report on how to educate for civic reasoning and discourse. She is the author of five books, including, most recently, Teaching Honesty in a Populist Era: Emphasizing Truth in the Education of Citizens (Oxford University Press, 2024).

 

Dr. Winston C. Thompson holds the Casto Professorship in Interprofessional Education at The Ohio State University where he is faculty in both Educational Studies and Philosophy. The incoming Director of OSU’s Center for Ethics and Human Values, Thompson’s scholarship explores ethical and political dimensions of educational policy across all contexts. His work on justice and education in democratic societies appears in leading international journals. A former Fellow at Harvard University’s Safra Center for Ethics, he has edited three books and serves on multiple academic organizational boards.

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Registration for the 2025 PLATO Conference is now open! 

Please register for the 2025 PLATO Conference by using the form below.

Registration Fee
$250 PLATO member
$350 Non-member (donate here to become a member)
$95 Student
$215 Sustaining Circle member

Registration includes lunches both days of the conference, coffee/tea, and a Friday evening cocktail hour.

Certificates of Completion. At their request, conference attendees can receive Certificates of Completion for 11 hours of professional development. Certificates may be submitted for a school’s or district’s approval towards professional development credits, the requirements for which vary by state. It is the attendee’s responsibility to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of their school, organization, and/or state.

Accommodations. Accommodation options include hotels listed in the tab to the right, as well as Tufts University dorm rooms (see registration form — dorm room reservations and payment must be made with conference registration).

Early online registration will be available through Sunday, May 18, 2025. Fees will increase after that date and will be higher for onsite registration.

Financial Assistance
PLATO has very limited funds available for financial assistance for people attending the conference. If you require financial assistance to attend the conference, please detail the amount of assistance you need in an email to info@plato-philosophy.org.
The deadline for financial assistance requests is Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 5 pm ET. THE DEADLINE HAS NOW PASSED.

 

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Conference Accommodation Options

 

Homewood Suites by Hilton Boston/Cambridge-Arlington
1 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington (1.4 miles from Tufts University)

To reserve, call the hotel directly at (781) 643-7258 or use this booking link

• Queen bed studio suite $279/night

 

Porter Square Hotel
1924 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge (1.3 miles from Tufts University)

To reserve, call the hotel directly at (617) 499-3399 and use code PLATO6

• Petite Double Twin (about 180 sq. ft., two twin beds): $225.00
• Deluxe Double Twin (between 190-220 sq. ft., two twin beds): $259.00
• Deluxe Queen (between 210-230 sq. ft., one queen bed): $289.00
• Queen Suite (between 315-400 sq. ft., a bedroom with one queen bed and a living room): $319.00

 

Hotel 1868
1868 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge (1.4 miles from Tufts University)

To reserve, call the hotel directly at (617) 499-2998 and use code PLATO6

• Mini Queen (about 160 sq. ft., one queen bed): $269.00
• Standard Queen (about 200 sq. ft., one queen bed): $295.00

 

Hyatt Place Hotel
116 Riverside Avenue, Medford (1 mile from Tufts University)

To reserve,  enter your desired arrival/departure dates after clicking PLATO 2025 or call the hotel at (888) 492-8847 and use code PLATO 2025

• King bed room $205/night
• Two queen beds room $205/night

 

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