What possibilities for examining selfhood do films offer? What films are particularly successful in revealing aspects of human psychology or psychological development? What can we learn about human selves from particular films? What films or directors develop promising analyses of human selfhood?
You are invited to take part in an engaging interactive conversation on “Psyches, Personae, and Characters: Human Selves in Film” with a group of 12-15 film scholars and fans over the weekend from Thursday evening, October 9, to Saturday evening, October 11, 2025 on the campus of Gonzaga University, in Spokane, WA. The Seminar employs a unique approach in which scholars read and discuss one another’s papers in a collegial setting over a weekend. Participants of the Seminar have in past years found the conversations that take place very helpful for polishing work in progress to move it closer to publication.
Key Highlights
- Unique seminar format: accepted papers will be distributed to participants prior to the seminar; seminar focus is on interactive conversation
- 12-15 proposals will be accepted for participation in the seminar
- Each participant will have approximately ten minutes for a summary presentation and thirty-five minutes for questions, discussion, and feedback directly focused on his or her paper
- Proposal limit of 500 words; final paper target length 3000-3500 words
- No registration fee; all meals Friday and Saturday provided by the Gonzaga Faith & Reason Institute; participants responsible for travel and lodging
- Travel stipends available for selected participants traveling to Spokane from a distance greater than 500 miles
Call for Proposals
Proposals are due via email to faithandreason@gonzaga.edu (.doc, .docx, or .pdf format) by midnight Monday, August 18, 2025
Get details about the seminar topic and instructions regarding proposal submission.
Submission / acceptance schedule:
| Monday, August 18, 2025, 12 midnight: Proposals are due |
| Friday, August 22, 2025: Acceptances communicated |
| Wednesday, September 24, 2025: Final papers due for distribution to seminar participants |
| Thursday, October 9, 2025: Seminar begins |
Related Events
The Faith, Film, and Philosophy Seminar is part of a week of film-related events on the Gonzaga University campus, the 2025 Faith, Film, and Philosophy Series, which include a series of lectures, a film screening and panel discussion, and a student panel, all related to the seminar theme of “Human Selves in Film.” Members of the seminar are welcome to attend any of these events. A highlight of the events leading up to the Seminar will be a public lecture.
The Seminar will begin with a public lecture on Thursday night, October 9. A second public lecture will be delivered on Friday night, October 10 . Both featured speakers will be announced soon, and will participate in the seminar discussion.
Featured Speakers
Coming Soon
Contact
If you have any questions or encounter any problems with submitting your proposal, please contact David Calhoun, Director of the Gonzaga Faith & Reason Institute, at faithandreason@gonzaga.edu.