Maternal stuttering – The missing vocabulary in the philosophy of motherhood
international conference
There are two epistemological traditions of philosophical knowing. One approach begins with the premise that there is something we do not know—we are aware of our ignorance, and we seek to overcome it. The history of this perspective traces back at least as far as Aristotle’s theory of wonder. The other approach arises when we believe we understand something, but—upon being compelled to reflect on it—we gradually realize that the matter is not as self-evident as it first appeared. The earliest traces of this can be found in the Platonic dialogues, where Socrates poses questions such as "What is courage, virtue, or justice?"—leading his initially self-assured fellow citizens to doubt their own knowledge. Augustine’s Confessions belongs to this latter tradition, when he says "What, then, is time? If no one asks me, I know; but if someone asks me and I wish to explain it, I do not know" (sec. 11.14).
We find ourselves in the same situation as we try to discuss motherhood on a philosophical level, either within the private home and even more so, on the level of the political community. It seems that there is effectively no vocabulary—or no adequate one—for motherhood; no linguistic means to philosophically interpret or articulate not only what motherhood is and what transpires within such a relationship, but also its significance and value beyond the confines of the home or the private sphere. Based on this assumption, the thesis for the workshop is that there are deeper issues beneath these linguistic difficulties: it is not merely that the words and concepts needed to describe the essence and value of motherhood are missing, but that motherhood itself—as a relationship—is absent from the level of the political community. In this workshop, we will try to unfold possible approaches to confirm the aforementioned thesis already with an eye on the most adequate methods to untangle and work out such vocabulary.
Time: November 18, 2026
Venue: Ludovika Campus, Side Building, John Lukacs Lounge (1 Ludovika square, 1083 Budapest)
10.00 Welcome
Hörcher Ferenc, EJKK PÁK, intézetvezető / director IPG
Fröhlich Johanna, EJKK PÁK, kutatási főmunkatárs, projektvezető / senior researcher, PI, IPG
10.15-12.00 „Anyai dadogások – módszeratni kihívások egy nem létező filozófiához”
Moderator: Johanna Fröhlich
Zoltán Navratyil, Associate professor, PPKE JÁK
Hajnalka Fényes, Associate professor, University of Debrecen (online)
Tamás Nyirkos, Senior researcher, EJKK IPG
Ádám Smrcz, Senior researcher, EJKK IPG (as discussant)
Sarolta Molnár, Associate professor, PPKE JÁK (as discussant)
12.00-13.30 Break
13.30-15.00 „Maternal stuttering – The missing vocabulary in the philosophy of motherhood”
Moderator: Johanna Fröhlich
Mary Nickel, Associate professor, University of South Carolina, US (online)
Ewa Rejman, Associate professor, Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, (online)
Ira Chadha-Sridhar, Assistant professor, University of Warwick (online)
Pier Paolo Pigozzi, Vice-rector, Associate professor, Ludovika University of Public Service
15.00 Closing remarks
Everyone is welcome!
Cover: Carl Holsøe “Interior with the artist’s wife standing at a chest of drawers reading”
Wikimedia Commons
