CfP: Framing Mathematics (Paris, 10-11 Sept 2026)

Framing Mathematics. Early Career Workshop on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics

September 10-11, Université Paris Cité

What is mathematics? From a contemporary perspective, one might be led to believe that mathematics is what mathematicians do. They write down formulas, think in front of blackboards, prove theorems. Mathematics appears to be objective and rigorous, to make true statements, and to deal with specific objects and their properties, or to deduce new meanings from axioms. But who counts as a mathematician in the first place? What counts as mathematical practice and content? And how did we get to this point to begin with? These questions are prompted by the sentiment that at least as of today, mathematics is a consistent and dynamic epistemic system, a field of inquiry that, while being self-containing, continuously extends its reach and reshapes its nature also by application. While contemporary mathematical practices seem rather rigid—with a narrow understanding of what mathematics is—a historical-philosphical analysis, across centuries and linguistic traditions, allows us to appreciate this field as dynamic.

This workshop is dedicated to exploring the various ways in which mathematics was conceived of, practiced and institutionalized across history and within different cultures, acknowledging that “mathematics” itself may be an anachronistic notion. In an explicit hope to bridge disciplinary boundaries, we thus invite contributions that explore the diverse disciplinary framings of mathematics across different periods and contexts—from antiquity to nowadays, with no geographic restrictions to Western traditions.

We call for talks tackling—yet not limited to—the following questions:

• How have mathematicians and scholars conceptualized the nature of mathematical activity?

• What cultural, philosophical, or practical concerns have shaped its development?

• How have foundational debates influenced mathematical thought?

• How has the interaction between mathematics and physics, or other disciplines, reshaped its methods, scope, and epistemological status?

• How was mathematical practice institutionalized throughout history?

“Framing Mathematics” is thought to be an interdisciplinary early career workshop that welcomes exploratory ideas and work-in-progress papers as well as the presentation of already published articles. Participants are in particular encouraged to explore ways to make their research accessible to colleagues not working in their own same field, with a view to engaging in truly interdisciplinary discussions, fostering exchange, and broadening their audience.

Building on the core idea of the Novembertagung, “Framing Mathematics” aims to foster connections between the widely spread community of early career historians and philosophers of mathematics. Complementing the Novembertagung format, we especially encourage contributions by postdocs and others in the later stages of their early-career path for this workshop. We in particular hope this will be the first in a long series of workshops dedicated to broadening (early-career) conversations on mathematical thought. 

Confirmed keynote speakers are 

Arianna Borrelli (Käthe Hamburger Kolleg Aachen), 

Karine Chemla (SPHERE--CNRS, Paris), 

Barbara Sattler (Bochum University).

The workshop will take place in Paris at the Université Paris Cité.

Please submit an abstract and a title for your talk of max. 250 words before March 31, 2026, including name and affiliation, to Clelia Crialesi or Bernadette Lessel. Please also indicate in your application if you will be in need for financial aid, as we will likely have a small budget to cover the accommodation expenses of a small number of participants.

This workshop is sponsored by the British Society for the History of Mathematics (BSHM).