The Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) invites individuals from every discipline and profession interested in advancing scholarship, teaching, and a general understanding of applied ethics to submit proposals based on their work to our 36th Annual APPE International Conference on March 4-7, 2027 in Pittsburgh. There will be an online-only portion of the conference program on April 2, 2027 to accommodate our members, presenters, and guests who are located across the globe, or who are unable to attend the in-person conference in Pittsburgh.
APPE is a multidisciplinary, international organization advancing scholarship, education, and practice in practical and professional ethics. We facilitate and support scholarly and professional collaborations among teachers, scientists, business practitioners, engineers, government officials, researchers, the media, and all professionals concerned with the practical application and communications of ethics and values.
This year’s theme, Examining Ethics and Power, invites critical reflection on the ethical dimensions of power across professional, institutional, and global contexts. We encourage proposals that explore how power dynamics shape ethical decision‑making; how power manifests in professional practices; how institutions perpetuate or prevent harm; and how ethical frameworks can clarify what is at stake as well as expose, challenge, and transform unjust power relations.
Power structures social, political, organizational, and interpersonal relations. Violence—whether physical, structural, symbolic, epistemic, or institutional—often emerges from, reinforces, or obscures the workings of power. Ethical analysis is essential for understanding how power is exercised, resisted, justified, and contested; how its proper use is often not recognized, as well as how the misuse of power is often normalized, hidden, or confronted in professional and public settings.
In addition to the special focus, we welcome submissions from all areas of practical and professional ethics.
Submissions are due Monday, October 5, 2026 and will be submitted via Ex Ordo.
Ready to Submit or Start a Proposal?
You can save your progress throughout the process. This button will take you to Ex Ordo, a third party application management plaftorm. You will need to create a login if you have not submitted via Ex Ordo before. This is a different login than your APPE username/password.
We welcome proposals addressing the theme from a wide range of perspectives, including (but not limited to):
- Analysis of structural, systemic, and institutional power
- Professional authority and the exercise of power
- Ethics of policing, punishment, incarceration, and state exercise of power
- War, militarization, terrorism, and political violence
- Power and social media
- Power dynamics in family and social life
- Responsible use of power in the workplace
- Whistleblowing, resistance, and ethical dissent
- Power dynamics in healthcare, social services, education, and law
- Data, surveillance, AI, and technological power
- Epistemic injustice, silencing, and testimonial harm
- Ethics of leadership, governance, and institutional accountability
- Restorative justice, nonviolence, repair, and ethical responses to harm
- Teaching ethics in contexts shaped by power and violence
In addition to the special focus, submissions are welcome from a variety of interest areas, including, but not limited to:
- Agricultural and/or Environmental Ethics
- Behavioral Ethics
- Bioethics, Health, and Medical Ethics
- Business Ethics
- Education Ethics
- Engineering Ethics
- Law and Government Ethics
- Military Ethics
- Media and Journalism Ethics
- Moral Theory
- Research Integrity
- Science, Technology, and/or Artificial Intelligence Ethics
- Social and Societal Ethics
Please keep in mind that our attendees come from a range of backgrounds and perspectives, so your presentation should be designed to engage our diverse community.
We invite proposals in the following categories:
- Individual Presentations
- Panel Discussions
- Case Studies
- Pedagogical Demonstrations
- Poster Presentations (in-person only)
- Author Meets Critics
- Authors Reception (in-person only)
- Workshops/Professional Development
- Pre-recorded Flash Presentations
- Paper Competitions and Awards (see below for more information)
Submission Notes
Generally, no more than one individual presentation per person will be accepted. Participation in co-authored presentations and panels is limited only by programming space.
Presenters can choose which version of the conference (in-person or virtual) they would like to be considered for (or both). Spots for the virtual component will be limited.
Please read the complete Submission Guidelines & Instructions before submitting.
Paper Competitions and Awards
Best Formal Paper by an Early Career Scholar ($500)
Best Formal Paper by a Graduate Student ($500)
Best Formal Paper by an Undergraduate Student ($250)
Clifford G. Christians Ethics Research Award ($250)
A description of paper competitions and awards are in the Submission Guidelines.
When you’re ready, you’ll submit your proposal via Ex Ordo, which can be saved and finished at any time.
APPE RISE Pre-Conference Symposium
The 2027 APPE RISEsm Pre-Conference Symposium will be held on March 4 in conjunction with the 35th Annual APPE International Conference. A Call for Proposals will be released soon.