14th International IAWIS Conference: “Word, Image and Social Dynamics”.
Location and dates: University of Amsterdam. 24-28 August 2026.
Deadline for proposal submissions: 2 June 2025.
Venue details: Amsterdam City Centre Campus and other venues in Amsterdam.
Event description
The 14th International Conference of IAWIS (International Association of Word and Image Studies) will be held in Amsterdam, on 24-28 August 2026.The chosen topic is “Word, Image and Social Dynamics”. Word and image relations and the institutions where these play out determine much of how societies (individuals and groups) define themselves. With this conference, we propose to explore how intermedial practices (inter- and/or transdisciplinary) impact on social dynamics, e.g. determine the ways in which art and activism operate and intersect and how art, literature, comics, film, digital media, theatre, etc. institute themselves in the public sphere or are entangled in power dynamics.
These relations can take many forms and engage us in thinking about the significance of society’s connection with various semiotic signs and in studying a variety of material that tends to fall outside of traditional boundaries. Therefore, we welcome historical and contemporary case studies and methodological explorations from artistic research, art history and theory, creative writing, literary studies, cultural studies, cultural analysis, film, theatre, comics or digital media studies, political science, museum studies, art sociology? etc.
We invite individual and group proposals for 20-minute papers. We also welcome artists’ contributions and non-standard presentations (subject to the facilities being available). Please note any intention for your contribution to be supported by or delivered through performance, artefacts, or film-aided or -based presentation. Roundtables and sessions of 3-4 speakers are also welcome. We do, however, prefer encounters of speakers who don’t yet know each other, as well as combinations of senior and more junior contributors and cross-disciplinary or otherwise diverse panels for the themed sessions. Proposals for already compiled sessions may, therefore, be modified.
Website address:
INTERNATIONAL IAWIS/AIERTI CONFERENCES
Contact details: iawis2026@zohomail.eu
(Posted 17 March 2025)