Rediscovering Twentieth-Century Slovak Philosophy

Folia Philosophica - Special Issue

Guest Editors: Dariusz Bęben and Eugen Andreanský

Submission Deadline: 31 May 2027

Twentieth-century Slovak philosophy remains a relatively underexplored area of Central European intellectual history. Shaped by profound political, cultural, and institutional transformations, it developed at the intersection of diverse philosophical traditions, including phenomenology, Marxism, positivism, existentialism, analytic philosophy, and Christian thought. Despite its intellectual richness, many of its thinkers, debates, and contributions remain largely unknown beyond Slovakia.

This special issue of Folia Philosophica seeks to reassess the history and significance of twentieth-century Slovak philosophy by drawing renewed attention to its major figures, neglected thinkers, intellectual movements, and philosophical controversies. Particular attention may be given to philosophers such as Svätopluk Štúr, Igor Hrušovský, Andrej Sirácky, Jozef Dieška, Štefan Polakovič, Vojtech Filkorn, Marian Váross, Ján Bodnár, Elena Várossová, Teodor Münz, Ladislav Hanus, Milan Šimečka, Miroslav Kusý, and Milan Zigo, among others. Their diverse intellectual trajectories reflect the richness and complexity of Slovak philosophical thought, encompassing scientific philosophy, structuralism, Marxism, Christian philosophy, intellectual dissent, and critical reflections on modern society.

We invite contributions that situate Slovak philosophical thought within both its specific historical context and the broader European philosophical landscape. We are particularly interested in studies that challenge established narratives, recover neglected intellectual traditions, investigate previously overlooked sources, and explore the complex relationships between philosophy, politics, science, religion, and culture.


Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

- Major figures and neglected thinkers in twentieth-century Slovak philosophy

- The emergence and institutional development of academic philosophy in Slovakia

- Slovak philosophy in the context of Czechoslovak intellectual and cultural history

- The reception of phenomenology, existentialism, and other European philosophical movements

- Marxism, Marxist revisionism, and philosophical thought under state socialism

- Analytic philosophy, logic, epistemology, and the philosophy of science in Slovakia

- Christian philosophy, religious thought, and philosophical anthropology

- Philosophy and political ideology, intellectual freedom, censorship, and dissent

- Slovak philosophical journals, translations, institutions, and intellectual networks

- Connections between Slovak, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, and other Central European philosophical traditions

- The international reception and contemporary relevance of twentieth-century Slovak philosophy

- Historiographical and methodological challenges in writing the history of Slovak philosophy

We welcome contributions adopting both historical and systematic approaches, including studies of individual philosophers, comparative analyses, examinations of philosophical debates, and research drawing on archival sources or previously unpublished materials.

Our aim is not merely to reconstruct a national philosophical tradition, but also to investigate how Slovak philosophy engaged with, responded to, and contributed to the major intellectual transformations of the twentieth century.

Submission Information

Please submit manuscripts via the Folia Philosophica Online Journal System by Mai 30, 2027: https://journals.us.edu.pl/index.php/FOLIA/about/submissions