PRAXIS – Center for Philosophy, Politics and Culture is a joint R&D unit of the University of Beira Interior (UBI) and the University of Évora (UE). It emerged in 2020, following the separation of the Practical Philosophy Group from the LABCOM.IFP R&D unit, and it was rated as “Good” in FCT’s last evaluation.

PRAXIS develops research in the field of practical philosophy, especially ethics, political and social philosophy, and the philosophy of culture. The Center focuses on different traditions, but it stands out from other R&D units in the country through its special emphasis on the phenomenological approach. Moreover, PRAXIS aims to connect the philosophical tradition with contemporary issues and debates, such as feminism, environmental and animal ethics, the crises of democracy, human rights, phenomenological-existential therapy, philosophy of technology, and so on.

Building on this foundation, PRAXIS aims to examine action across various dimensions, placing a special focus on the interplay between personal experience and the broader relational or social contexts where human action unfolds.

To explore the personal and relational aspects of action, the Centre organizes into two working groups that integrate members from both UBI and UE: the Ethics and Politics Working Group (EPWG) and the Phenomenology and Culture Working Group (PCWG). In addition, the unit strives to create links between its different areas, by exploring the overlaps between ethical and political thought, relating ethics, political philosophy and political science to philosophy of culture, and employing the phenomenological approach in ethical, social, political and especially cultural issues.

PRAXIS maintains numerous international interchanges with researchers and universities in Europe, Latin America and the United States (Sorbonne, Villanova, Rio de Janeiro, among others) and, together with four Brazilian universities, it formed the Praxis Network. Its internationalization strategy favors a multilingual approach, which results in many outputs not only in Portuguese, but also in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

PRAXIS developed three separate collections and offers a vast online library – https://www.lusosofia.ubi.pt/ – featuring books and articles by the unit’s members and other researchers, Portuguese translations of classic philosophical texts, and master’s and doctoral dissertations. In addition, PRAXIS commitment to a comprehensive dissemination strategy also includes international scientific publications, outreach activities and multiple advanced training activities in connection with two doctoral programs at UBI (Philosophy and Political Science) and one at UÉ (Practical Philosophy).

PRAXIS has 32 members and 28 collaborators. Moreover, PRAXIS currently hosts seven PhD studentships, two scientific initiation studentships and one junior researcher (hired under FCT’s institutional CEEC program).

Being located in two cities (Covilhã and Évora) in the country’s inland, where the population and cultural resources are lower than in the main coastal cities, PRAXIS faces challenges different from those of other R&D units in the country. At the same time, PRAXIS has a serious and growing commitment to engaging with the surrounding communities, which extends to the national level. This commitment translates into collaborations, events at cultural institutions and non-academic writings (including contributions to leading newspapers and magazines).

In terms of infrastructure, PRAXIS has its own workspace, located on the second floor of UBI’s Central Library.

PRAXIS - Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Culture is funded by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UIDB/05451/2020 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05451/2020).