Conference: Redefining Agency - Legal and Philosophical Perspectives

The notion of agency is fundamental to our understanding of the self and society, influencing disciplines from philosophy and sociology to law and politics. Yet defining agency remains a challenge. In its simplest form, the notion of agency distinguishes between events that merely happen and actions performed intentionally by individuals or other entities. This distinction shapes how we attribute responsibility, autonomy, and rights.  

In law, the distinction between agents and non-agents is pivotal: only agents can make decisions, enter contracts, or bear responsibility. Traditionally, the Western legal tradition has equated agency with rational, autonomous individuals—a notion deeply embedded in the liberal tradition. This conception of agency excludes entities like children, persons with cognitive disabilities, artificial intelligence systems, and nonhuman animals from full legal agency, often based on their perceived lack of rationality or individuality. 

However, recent advances—ranging from neurotechnologies to debates on nonhuman agency—are challenging this paradigm. These discussions, while groundbreaking, remain fragmented. Scholarly discussion of the new potential types of agents takes place in disciplinary silos and could use systematization. This conference aims to bridge these gaps, fostering a comprehensive dialogue on agency in its many forms. 

The purpose of the conference is to bring together these different perspectives on agency. 

Possible topics to be addressed at the conference include: 

• varieties of human agency (collective agency, socially enabled agency, human-AI hybrids, neurotechnology-mediated agency)  
• agency and human/fundamental rights 
• the relationship between agency and closely related concepts (personhood, subjectivity etc.) 
• emerging agents, such as AI systems and nonhuman animals 
• philosophical and theoretical approaches to agency 
• autonomy, self-determination and paternalism in the law 

The conference is organized by the ERC-funded project Agency in Law (LEGACY). The purpose of the project is to develop a historically informed, comprehensive, and rigorous understanding of legal agency, based on a broad synthesis of legal and philosophical thought. 

The confirmed keynote speakers are:

• Gunther Teubner, Emeritus Professor of Private Law and Legal Sociology at Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main.
• Anna Arstein-Kerslake, Associate Professor at Melbourne Law School in the area of disability human rights law.
• Eva Meijer, postdoctoral researcher on animal law at the University of Amsterdam, as well as a philosopher, visual artist, writer and singer-songwriter. 
• Veronica Rodriguez-Blanco, Professor in Moral and Political Philosophy (Jurisprudence) at Surrey Law School, University of Surrey.

Researchers at all stages of their careers are invited to submit 300-500-word abstracts by the 28th of February 2025.

The conference will have a registration fee of roughly €150-200 with a reduced fee of €100-150 (PhD candidates and students). If you are not in one of these categories but believe you qualify for a reduced fee, please contact us by email at legacy@helsinki.fi. The registration fee includes lunches, coffee, and the conference dinner. An early-bird reduced registration fee will be available for those who sign up before the 1st of May. General registration will close on the 31st of July. 

The language of the conference is English, and we expect the conference format to be fully in-person, taking place at the University of Helsinki, Main Building, Fabianinkatu 33.