Auster Xenophonteum
Work Group
Director: Roderigo Illaraga, University of Buenos Aires
Contact: rodrigoillarraga@filo.uba.ar

 Aim and Description of the Work Group

Auster Xenophonteum is an ongoing research group on Xenophon and the Socratics, begun in year 2018, based in Argentina, and composed of scholars from universities in Argentina and abroad. Our main interest lies in Xenophon’s (and Socratics’) practical philosophy. The group addresses topics such as virtues and flaws, emotions and motivation, interaction between public and private spheres, political strategies, law and justice, types of rulership, among others.

The very particular nature of the so-called Circle of Socrates also drives us towards the way the Socratics developed their theories and works, an issue that involves language, interaction with other literary genres, narratology, dramatology, and the overall intellectual scene of Classical Athens. At last, but not least, we are interested in the reception of the Socratic philosophies, especially in the contemporary readings and reappropriations by post-structuralist and post-Marxist authors.

As for now, Auster Xenophonteum comprehends several funded research projects: UBACYT “Private and public body in Socratics’ anthropology ” (PI: Claudia Mársico, Co-PI: Rodrigo Illarraga), GICP “The Narrative of the Ruler in Ancient Greek Philosophy: Xenophon and the Socratics” (PI: Rodrigo Illarraga) and FILOCyT “Psychology and Politics in Xenophon’s Philosophy” (PI: Rodrigo Illarraga), among others. Prof. Dr. Claudia Mársico es Full Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) and Chair of Ancient Philosophy (University of Buenos Aires); Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Illarraga is Associated Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) and Associated Professor at the Department of Political Science (University of Buenos Aires)

Activities in the Work Group

The work group will hold two virtual annual meetings from 2021 during spring (SH) 2021. It is headed by Associate Professor Rodrigo Illarraga, Department of Political Science and Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Philosophy, University of Buenos Aires, and supported by The International Society for Socratic Studies. For more information, please contact Rodrigo Illarraga (rodrigoillarraga@filo.uba.ar or rodrigoillarraga@gmail.com).