The XVIII International Symposium
Contemporary Issues in Literary Studies
Tbilisi, Georgia
Symposium Organizers:
Georgian Comparative Literature Association (GCLA)
TSU Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
We have the honor to invite you to participate in the XVIII International Symposium which will be held on 23-25 September 2026.
The symposium is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature.
The symposium is interdisciplinary.
Symposium Theme:
The Theme of War and Peace in Contemporary World Literature and Culture
Preamble:
The theme of war and peace has long been a subject of interest in world literature and culture. However, the historical traumas of the 20th and 21st centuries (world wars, the Cold War, regional conflicts, ethnic conflicts, terrorism, hybrid wars) have given this theme new meanings and interpretations and have made it one of the most urgent issues today.
In contemporary writing, war and peace are understood in many different ways. Unlike the classical narratives of heroism, glory, and sacrifice, the focus increasingly shifts to issues such as the destruction of human identity, psyche, and morality; the spread of chaos and reflection on its consequences; the breakdown of psychological and spiritual harmony against the backdrop of ongoing violence; the formation of traumatic memory syndromes; the difficult stages of survival and reconciliation, and more.
These and other aspects are addressed not only in contemporary world literature but also in the arts – cinema, theatre, visual arts, and music – which together create shared cultural markers.
In contemporary world literature and culture, war and peace are no longer merely historical events; they are also philosophical, ethical, and existential categories. War appears as an extreme form of human self-destruction, while peace is seen as a difficult-to-achieve yet necessary ideal.
Reflecting on these themes in contemporary literature and culture encourages us to think not only about the past, but also about the future and about our individual and collective responsibility.
Symposium Sections:
I. The Theme of War in Contemporary World Literature
• The transformation of the classical concept of war in the XX-XXI centuries;
• The deheroization of war: issues of violence, ethics, and humanism;
• Individual trauma and collective memory;
• Women authors and alternative narratives of war;
• Postcolonial, postmodernist, and metanarrative texts on war.
II. Regional and Ethnic Conflicts and Global Narratives
• Regional and ethnic wars in world literature;
• The post-Soviet experience;
• Refugees, identity, and cultural memory.
III. Narratives of Peace in Literature
• Reconciliation, forgiveness, and memory: models of “peace” narratives;
• Literary representations of postwar societies;
• Utopia, dystopia, and the narrative of the “ideal” of peace.
IV. The Theme of War and Peace in Visual Art and Digital Media
• War on screen;
• Contemporary theater against war;
• Photography, installation art, and the politics of memory;
• The role of media in shaping and managing war narratives.
Within the framework of the symposium, roundtable sessions will be held on the following topics:
• The responsibility of the artist in times of war;
• The role of culture in opposing violence;
• Teaching themes of war and peace through literature and art.
The Symposium will be held in person.
Only participants from countries located in military conflict zones will be given the opportunity to perform online.
Working languages of the conference are: Georgian, English.
Please fill out the registration form (See Appendix) and submit your abstracts in English to the following email address:
rustaveliconference@gmail.com
The deadline for submitting abstracts is May 30, 2026.
Abstract requirements:
Abstract must be submitted in English with 5 keywords.
Please, include your affiliation and academic status.
No more than 250 words, Font- Sylfaen, Size 10, Line spacing – single.
The duration of the presentation (except plenary presentations) – 15 min.
The Organizing Committee preserves the right to select participants.
The approved participants will be notified until July 5, 2026.
Registration fee for approved participants:
• Individual participation – € 150
• Co-author participation – € 240 (for both authors)
• Students participation– € 100 (students must present an official document confirming their status)
• For accompany persons – € 50
By decision of the Organizing Committee, colleagues from Ukraine, as well as citizens of Ukraine forced to live outside their homeland, are exempt from paying the Registration Fee.
The registration fee includes:
• Official opening ceremony of the conference and buffet
• Participant conference bag
• Coffee/tea breaks on conference days
• Electronic publication of the conference program, abstracts, and materials, registration in Google Scholars, and assignment of DOI numbers
The registration fee does not include:
• Symposium Participants Official Dinner (optional) – € 50
• Cultural Program (optional): one day trip outside the Tbilisi (Location will be announced later) on 26th September – € 50
Featured papers will be published in Sjani (The Thoughts), an annual Georgian scientific journal of literary theory and comparative literature which is included in ERIH PLUS, EBSCO, CEEOL, VABB-SHW.
For further information please contact the Organizing Committee by the following
e-mail: rustaveliconference@gmail.com
