2026 West Coast Plato Workshop

Dates

Friday, May 29 – Sunday, May 31, 2026

Meeting Focus

The workshop will focus on Books VIII and IX of Plato's Republic.

Keynote

The keynote speaker will be Mark Johnstone (McMaster University), author of "Tyrannized Souls: Plato's Depiction of the 'Tyrannical Man'" and "Anarchic Souls: Plato's Depiction of the 'Democratic Man'".

Full schedule with participant names, paper titles, and commentators coming soon.

Chapman University

The workshop will be hosted by Chapman University, situated in the City of Orange at the heart of Orange County.

Workshop Venue: The Killefer School Building

Sessions will take place in Chapman's newest building renovation: the Killefer School building, home to Chapman's Institute for Quantum Studies. The Killefer School is a California landmark due its being one of the first schools in California to desegregate (in 1944). After decades of neglect, Chapman acquired the building and restored it. We are very fortunate to use spaces in the building for our workshop!

Getting Here by Air

Hotels

The following hotels are convenient options for workshop participants. All require a short drive to campus, but shuttle service will be arranged by the WCPW organizers for participants staying at these locations.

• ALO Hotel by Ayres
• Ayres Hotel Orange
• Hotel Fera

• Contra Coffee & Tea

  If you love iced coffee, this is your spot. Coffee and tea is served on tap here with a lot of creative flavors and combinations. Close to campus and often full of students on their laptops. Beware: nothing hot is served here.

• Play Coffee

  This spot will satisfy even the geekiest coffee geek among us. You can get anything from a standard latte to single-origin espresso shots for a tasting tray. The pastries are usually excellent as well.

• Zinc Café & Market

  Part café, part market. Zinc is farthest from campus (but still walkable) and offers a gorgeous shaded patio and light snacks.

Quick

• Bruxie $10–20

  Waffle sandwiches and crispy fried chicken, and practically on campus.

• The Taco Stand $10–20

  Tijuana-style street tacos and burritos with handmade tortillas pressed to order. Fast, casual, and much loved by locals, which can sometimes mean it's not so quick. Give the California burrito a try.

Take Your Time

• Anepalco $20–30

  French-Mexican fusion located at ALO Hotel. Super convenient for those staying in the hotels nearby. Great cocktails.

• Culinary Dropout $20–30

  Casual gastropub with cocktails, beer, and comfort food like pretzels, hamburgers, and flatbread pizzas. Great for groups.

• Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen $20–30

  Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant serving elevated regional Mexican cuisine. The restaurant can be loud, so patio seating might be preferred. Killer margaritas. Watch for spice!

• O SEA $20–30

  LA Times "Best Seafood Restaurant" in Orange County. Fresh ceviche, poke, and oysters and a beautiful dining room with unmatched service. 🍷 Wino destination.

• Pizzeria Irene $20–30

  Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza in a cozy neighborhood space. 🍷 Wino destination.

If you have time on either end of your visit, here are some amazing attractions within reach of Orange:

• Angel Stadium

  Catch an Angels game just 10 minutes from campus. A classic ballpark with views of the surrounding mountains.

• The Beaches

  Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach are all 20–30 minutes away.

• Crystal Cove State Park

  Stunning coastal hiking trails about 25 minutes away.

• Disneyland Resort

  The original Magic Kingdom is just 10 minutes from Chapman.

• The Getty Villa (Malibu)

  Roman and Greek antiquities in a one-to-one scale recreation of the Roman Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum which was buried in AD 79 by the eruption of Vesuvius. Free admission; about an hour's drive. Plan ahead for reservations.

• The Hilbert Museum of California Art

  Right on Chapman's campus. This museum houses one of the world's largest collections of California narrative art. Free admission.

• The Huntington Library

  Renowned art collections, rare books (including a Gutenberg Bible), and spectacular botanical gardens in San Marino. About 45 minutes away.

• Nixon Presidential Library

  Presidential museum and birthplace in Yorba Linda with Cold War history and beautiful grounds. Just 15 minutes to the North.

• Segerstrom Center for the Arts

  Home of the Pacific Symphony. About 15 minutes away in Costa Mesa.