Mgr. Maria Cristina Vendra, Ph.D.

Kontakty

tel.: 475 286 520
kancelář: B 302

Research Interests

• Contemporary philosophy, ethics, philosophy of the environment, phenomenology, social and political philosophy

Studies and degrees

• 2015-2019: Joint Ph.D. at École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris (France) and Università degli Studi “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara (Italy). Date of completion July 5th, 2019; Ph.D. dissertation title: Paul Ricoeur’s Social Thought. A Critical Reconstruction
• 2007-2014: B.A. and M.A at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Milano; M.A. thesis title: Paul Ricoeur on Justice and Alterity; B.A. thesis title: The Correspondance Theory of Truth. Essay on the Realistic Perspective of Truth (both titles translated from Italian original)

Research Fellowships and Grants

• July 2022- June 2024 member of the Research Project “ ‘Face of Nature’ in the Contemporary French Phenomenology. Challenges of New Metaethics and Ecology” funded by the Czech Science Foundation (GAČR project No. GAP 21-22224S) and developed at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
• March-April 2022: University of Lublin, Poland, Visiting Fellowship; Research project: Remembering Together through Empathy and Openness
• January-November 2022: Institute of Philosophy of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Postdoctoral Fellowship; Research project: Hermeneutic Phenomenology of the Inhabited Space
• 2020-2022: Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Contemporary Continental Philosophy (OSKF), Praha, Postdoctoral Fellowship; Research project: Towards a Social-Phenomenology of Collective Memory. Thinking Memory with Jan Patočka and Paul Ricoeur
• 2020-2021: EEA Grant – Bilateral grant between Czech Republic and Norway (OsloMET); Research Team: Dr. Blanka Maderová (North Carolina State University, Prague), Dr. Ewa Grigar (North Carolina State University, Prague), Dr. Gun Ros (OsloMET)
• 2021: Strategy AV21 Grant – Collaboration between the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Department of Philosophy of the University of Milan; Research Program: “Resilient Society for the 21st Century”
• 2020: Fonds Ricoeur Alumni Association Grant
• 2018: EHESS Summer School Grant
• 2015-2018: Ph.D. Fellowship: Università degli Studi “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara (Italy)

Distinctions and Honors

Top graduate student paper awarded by the Society for Ricoeur Studies and Honors for Reconfiguring the social bond: Paul Ricoeur’s phenomenology of imagination across tradition and innovation. The paper was presented at the International Conference of the Society for Ricoeur Studies at the DePaul University of Chicago, October 2016. The prize was awarded at Boston College, October 2017.

Teaching Experiences

• 2022: Lecturer at the Charles University of Prague, Faculty of Humanities Program Deutsche und französische Philosophie; Course title: The Inhabited Space and the Spatial Experience. Paul Ricoeur on Corporeity, Architecture and Humanization of Space.
• 2022: Lecturer at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic Italian Language. Enrolled by Agentura Parole.
• January-December 2021: Tutor and professor for the Open Science Program, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague. Course title: Philosophy of Responsible Eating. This program was directed at high-school students.
• September 2018-June 2019: Organizer and lecturer at the EHESS and Fonds Ricoeur for a one-year workshop. Course title: L’imagination et le social. This course was taught in French and in English, it was directed to graduate and ungraduated students.

Research Affiliations

• Member of the Department of Contemporary Continental Philosophy (OSKF), Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
• Member (Jeune Chercheur) of the Centre d’Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (CEMS), École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris, France
• Member of the Central-European Institute of Philosophy, SIF Praha, Prague, Czech Republic
• Member of “Culinary Mind” Centre for the Philosophy of Food, Milan, Italy
• Member of Board of Directors of the Association Alumni Fonds Ricoeur, Paris, France
• Member (Junior associate scholar) of the International Institute for Hermeneutics
• Member of the Italian Society of Moral Philosophy, SIFM
• Member of the Italian Association of Philosophy of Religion, AIRF

Conference Organization

• November 4-5, 2022: Organizer of the International Conference Paul Ricoeur and the Challenges of Autonomy, BISLA, Bratislava, Slovakia (Organizing Committee: Maria Cristina Clorinda Vendra, Dagmar Kusa, Rober Karul, Jaroslava Vydrová, Paolo Furia)
• November 15-17, 2021: Organizer of the International Conference Paul Ricoeur on Collective Identities, University of Trier, Germany (Organizing Committee: Maria Cristina Clorinda Vendra, Michael Steinmetz, Martina Weingartner, Paul Sorgel)

Editorial activities

• Organization and introduction as guest editor of “Paul Ricoeur and the Problem of Space”, Vol. 12, no. 2, 2021, of the Études Ricoeuriennes, Ricoeur Studies, ed. Maria Cristina Clorinda Vendra and Paolo Furia
• Organization as guest editor of “Jan Patočka and French Philosophy”, Vol. 29, 1-2, 2021, of The Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy (JFFP), USA
• Reviewer – East Asian Journal of Philosophy (EAJP), Renmin University of China
• Reviewer – The Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy (JFFP), USA
• Reviewer – Études Ricoeuriennes, Ricoeur Studies, France and USA
• Reviewer – Filozofia, Slovakia
• Reviewer – Theologica, Acta Universitatis Carolinae (AUC), Czech Republic
• Reviewer – Tropos. Journal of Hermeneutics and Philosophical Criticism, Italy
• Reviewer – In Circolo, Italy

Publications Books

• Paul Ricoeur’s Social Thought: Toward a Critical Reconsideration of the Social Framework of Living. In preparation for Lexington Books, Lanham (expected end 2023)

Book chapters

• “Being Hosted and Hosting the Natural Environment: an Eco-Phenomenological Perspective of Nature as Eco-Vulnerable Household,” in: Tasso, Beatriz and Arrien, Sophie Jan (eds.), De la vulnérabilité à la promesse chez Ricœur. Perspectives d’autrices (Lanham: Lexington Books, expected 2023).
• “Paul Ricoeur’s Phenomenological Diagnostic of the Body: Being Corporally Situated in the Socio-Historical World,” in: Savage, Roger (ed.), Ricoeur and the Lived Body (Lanham: Lexington Books, 2020).
• “Reshaping Social Justice: Paul Ricoeur’s and Luc Boltanski’s Dialectic of Love and Justice in the Age of Globalization,” in: Dierckxsens, Geoffrey (ed.), The Ambiguity of Justice: New Perspectives on Paul Ricoeur’s Approach to Justice (Boston/Leiden: Brill, 2020).
• “L’esperienza linguistica del testo e della traduzione. Fondamenti per un’etica interculturale nel pensiero di Paul Ricoeur,” in: Maurizio, Pagano and Luca, Ghisleri (eds.), I Fondamenti dell’etica in prospettiva interculturale (Brescia: Morcelliana 2018).

Articles

• Paul Ricoeur et Maurice Halbwachs : pour une analyse sociophénoménologique de la mémoire collective et de sa spatialisation, Bulletin d’analyse phénoménologique (Accepted and Forthcoming).
• Paul Ricoeur and Alfred Schütz: Phenomenological Responses to Edmund Husserl’s Configuration of Social Reality, Iranian Journal of Phenomenology. (Accepted and Forthcoming).
• Making Sense of History with Paul Ricoeur and Jan Patočka From the Past, in the Present, toward the Future, Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy 29, 1-2 (2021): 65-86.
• I am Hungry, Therefore I am Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutical Phenomenology as a Model for Food Existentialism, Philosophical Inquiries 10, 1 (2022): 25-40.
• Paul Ricoeur on Social Imagination. Across Tradition and Innovation, Studia z Historii Filozofii 12, 1 (2021): 77-96.
• Interpreting the Natural Environment. Paul Ricoeur’s Directions for an Eco- Hermeneutic Phenomenology, Discipline Filosofiche 30, 2 (2020): 261-279.
• Paul Ricoeur and Clifford Geertz. The Harmonic Dialogue between Hermeneutics and Cultural Anthropology, Études Ricoeuriennes/RicoeurStudies 11, 1 (2020): 125-140.
• Paul Ricoeur on Collective Memory: the Cohesion of Social Life, Voluntas.
• Revista Internacional de Filosofia 10, 3 (2019): 85-107.
• Etica della responsabilità e relazione d’alterità. Hans Jonas e Paul Ricoeur in dialogo, Prospettiva Persona 100, 1 (2017): 24-27.
• Giustizia: Cura, Salute, Disabilità. Ripensare la Giustizia secondo una Prospettiva Femminista, Itinerari 1 (2016): 217-233.
• Between Fragility and Openness: Cohabitation in the Interreligious Dialogue with Paul Ricoeur, New Perspectives on Dialogue, Teoria, 1(2016): 115-130.
• Rencontrer soi-même dans le temps. Une étude sur la conception de l’identité personnelle chez Paul Ricoeur, In Circolo. Rivista di filosofia eculture 1, 1 (2016): 1-14.
• Abitare l’Oikos. Per una continuità tra prossimi, soci e posteri: Hans Jonas e Paul Ricoeur in dialogo, Annuario Filosofico 31, 1 (2015): 311-332.
• At the Margin of the Gift: Struggle for Recognition and Justice as “Complex Equality” in Paul Ricoeur’s Thought, Outramargem 2, 1 (2015):93-112.
• La relazione d’alterità e la libertà meta-conflittuale. Prospettive di Emmanuel Lévinas e di Paul Ricoeur, Lo Sguardo 12, 1 (2013): 95-107.

Conferences and Workshops

2022

• Thinking Autonomy with Paul Ricoeur, November 4, International Conference: Paul Ricoeur and the Challenges of Autonomy, BISLA, Bratislava, Slovakia.
• The Horizon of Eco-Imagination and the Force of the Eco-Imaginary. Imagining Ecologically with Paul Ricoeur, October 27, 66^th International Congress of Phenomenology: Eco-Imagination for a Sustainable Future, IULM University, Milan, Italy.
• Thinking Philosophically, Living Thoughtfully: Loving, Wisdoming, Wondering in Today’s Buzzing World, September 15, Letní škola humanitních studií, University J.E. Purkyně, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic.
• Être-accueillis et accueillir l’espace naturel : une éco-phénoménologie de la nature comme Bioikos, June 30, Workshop: Approches Éthiques de la Nature et la Phénoménologie Française, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
• Paul Ricoeur, l’herméneutique et l’environnement. Sur le sens de l’espacenaturel, May 27, Conférence: L’herméneutique au carrefour des savoirs, Fonds Ricoeur, Paris, France.

2021

• Thinking Environmentally with Paul Ricoeur. From Earthly Dwelling to the Reinhabiting of the Earth, December 9, Workshop: Faces of Nature. Phenomenology and Ecology, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
• Embodiment and the Social Significance of Food in Times of Physical Distancing, October 15, Workshop: Hungry Emotional Beings I – EatingEnvironments and Emotional Eating, Università Statale di Milano, Milano,Italy.
• Reshaping Social Justice: Paul Ricoeur and Luc Boltanski, October 8, 15^th Society for Ricoeur Studies Conference, Toronto, Canada (Online).
• Being-situated, Situating, Re-situating Ourselves in Nature. Thinking the ‘Ecological Self’ with Paul Ricoeur, October 2, Imagined Natures,Philosophical and Anthropological Conference of the Slovak Academy ofSciences, BISLA, Katedra filozofie FF TU Trnava, Študijné a KongresovéStredisko Univerzity Komenského, Modra, Slovakia.
• Paul Ricoeur et Alfred Schütz : pour une Phénoménologie Sociale de la Mémoire Collective et du Temps Commun, June 25, PhénoménologieSociale. Les Applications de la Méthode Phénoménologique, PanthéonSorbonne, Paris, France.
• The Sweet Complex: Individual Desire or Social Need?, April 28, Czech- Norwegian Conference EEA /Norway Grant Funds 2014–21, NC State University (European Center), Prague, Czech Republic (Online).
• Du diagnostic du corp vécu à la dialectique de la faim et du manger. La phénoménologie de Paul Ricoeur à l’égard de la philosophie de l’alimentation, February 24, Séminaire du Fonds Ricoeur, Fonds Ricoeur,Paris, France.

2020

• Interaction with the Past and Openness toward the Future. Paul Ricoeur and Jan Patočka at the Boundary of History and Historicity, November 20– 21, Stories, Histories, Memories, 7th Annual Liberal Herald Conference, BISLA, Bratislava, Slovakia (Online).
• I am Hungry, Therefore I am. Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutical Phenomenology as a Model for Food Existentialism, November 19–21, Ricoeur asWorld Heritage, International Conference, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium(Online).
• Reconsidering Paul Ricoeur’s Mediation in the Gadamer-Habermas Debate, October 6-10, Politics, Religion, and Cultural Hermeneutics, 14^thSociety for Ricoeur Studies Conference, Toronto, Canada (Online).

2019

• Paul Ricoeur et l’enjeu de la mémoire collective : Au Croisement de la Phénoménologie Sociale et de l’Herméneutique, December 12, Séminairedu Fonds Ricoeur, Fonds Ricoeur, Paris, France.
• Paul Ricoeur and Interactive Storytelling: Performing Narrative, Memory, and Imagination, October 10–12, Imagination and Hermeneutics, 13^thSociety for Ricoeur Studies Conference, McGill University, Montreal,Canada.

2018

• For an Immanent Critique of Social Memory. Reshaping Social Remembrance and Social Time with Paul Ricoeur, November 2–4,Remembrance and Recognition, 12th Society for Ricoeur Studies
• Conference, University Mount St. Mary, Los Angeles, USA.
• The Finiteness of Human Being’s Social-Historical Understanding – From Fallibility to Evil, June 22, Summer Workshop on Paul Ricoeur’s Work,Fallible Man, Fonds Ricoeur, Paris, France.

2017

• From Text to the Social Imaginary: Paul Ricoeur across Tradition and Innovation, October 5–7, Phronesis, Faith, and the Task of Envisioning aSocial Global Imaginary, Boston College and Boston University, Boston,USA.
• Integrative Ideology: From Semiotic to Practical Field. Paul Ricoeur’s and Clifford Geertz’s Interpretative Understanding of Culture, June 25,Summer School on Paul Ricoeur’s work Lectures on Ideology and Utopia,Fonds Ricoeur, Paris, France.
• The In-Between Space of Meeting: Co-habiting the Interreligious Dialogue with Paul Ricoeur, May 27, II Congreso Lusofono de Cienca das Religioes:Historia, Memorias, Fundamentalismos e Revoluçoes, UniversidadeLusofona, Lisbon, Portugal.
• Paul Ricoeur et l’imaginaire social, May 15, Séminaire du Fonds Ricoeur, Fonds Ricoeur, Paris, France.

2016

• Reconfiguring the Social Bond: Paul Ricoeur’s Phenomenology of Imagination, Crossing Boundaries, October 6–9, Ricoeur in a Global Age,10th Society for Ricoeur Studies conference, DePaul University ofChicago, USA.
• A Hermeneutical Reading of Social Theory, August 29–30, Rethinking Social Change, Barcelona, Spain.
• L’esperienza linguistica del testo e della traduzione, September 14–16, 61° Convegno della Fondazione Studi Filosofici di Gallarate, Università Avogadro, Vercelli, Italy.
• Rencontrer soi-même dans le temps. Une étude sur la conception de l’identité personnelle chez Paul Ricoeur, March 16–17, Conférencedoctorale de l’Institut Catholique de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.

2015

• Giustizia: cura, salute e disabilità. Una prospettiva femminista, October 22–24, Convegno Internazionale L’Europa e l’idea di giustizia – Crisi e sfida della globalizzazione, Università degli Studi “G. d’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy.
• Etica della responsabilità e relazione d’alterità: Hans Jonas e Paul Ricoeur in dialogo. Verso un nuovo fondamento dell’etica, September 9–11,60 ̊ Convegno della Fondazione Studi Filosofici di Gallarate, UniversitàAvogadro, Vercelli, Italy.
• Hermeneutics and religious dialogue: rethinking the post-secular public space with and beyond Paul Ricoeur, May 19–22, International ConferenceThe Polyphony of Text and Life: Phenomenological Hermeneutics TenYears after the Death of Paul Ricoeur, International Institute forHermeneutics, Iagellonian and University Igntianum, Krakow, Poland.

2014

• At the Margin of the Gif: the Struggle for Recognition and Justice as ‘Complex Equality’ in Paul Ricoeur’s thought, September 18–20,International Conference Paul Ricoeur: Thinker of the Margins?, Universityof Antwerp, Belgium.
• L’affectivité au croisement de la phénoménologie et l’herméneutique, April 10, Workshop Fonds Ricoeur, Séminaire du Fonds Ricoeur, Fonds Ricoeur, Paris, France.

2012

• La relazione d’alterità e la libertà meta-conflittuale. Prospettive di Emmanuel Lévinas e di Paul Ricoeur, September 24–27, InternationalConference Pensare altrimenti con Paul Ricoeur, Università del Salento,Lecce, Italy.

Languages

Italian (native), English (C2), French (C2), German (B1), Spanish (A2)

Other interests

Theater, acting (appearances as an extra in films and commercials), painting, swimming