The Capen Chair regularly sponsors conferences and symposia on special topics, lasting from one to three days. Participants include senior and junior scholars so as to promote discussions across different generations and disciplines. The topics vary from the technical and specialized to the more popular and current.
1986: "Current Assessment of Latin American Studies," III Congress of the International Federation of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, University at Buffalo, NY
1998: "Identity, Ethnicity, and Group Rights," First Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
1999: (with Carolyn Korsmeyer and Rodolphe Gasche) "Literary Philosophers? Borges, Calvino, Eco," Second Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2000: (with Jiyuan Yu) "Rationality and Happiness: From the Ancients to the Early Medievals," Third Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2000: "The Future of Realism in the American Tradition of Pragmatic Naturalism,"University at Buffalo, NY
2001: "Categories," Meetings of the Metaphysical Society of America, University at Buffalo, NY
2002: (with Jiyuan Yu) "Uses and Abuses of the Classics: Interpretation in Philosophy," Fourth Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2004: (with William Irwin) "Philosophy and the Interpretation of Popular Culture," Fifth Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2005: "Black Ethnicity, Latino Race?" Sixth Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2005: (with Susana Nuccetelli) "Latin American Philosophy: The Appropriation of European Ideas in Latin America," NEH Summer Institute, University at Buffalo, NY
2006: "Negotiating Identities in Art, Literature and Philosophy: Cuban Americans and American Culture," NEH Summer Seminar, University at Buffalo, NY
2007: "Forging People: Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality in Latin American and Latino Philosophy," Seventh Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2009: "Thinking with Images," Eighth Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2010: (with David Johnson) "Painting Borges: The Pictorial Interpretation of Literature/Pintando a Borges: Pictorial Interpretation of Literature," Ninth Capen Symposium, UCA, Buenos Aires
2010: (with David Gerber) "Assimilation: The Social Integration of Ethnic Migrants in Theory and Ideology," Tenth Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2011: (with Jiyuan Yu) "The Interpretation of the Philosophical Classics: East and West," Eleventh Capen Symposium, Shandong University, Jinan, China
2013: (with J. Cumpa) "Metaphysical Fundamentals: A Symposium," Twelfth Capen Symposium, University at Buffalo, NY
2014: "The Aesthetics of Identity in the Art of Alberto Rey," Thirteenth Capen Symposium, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY