Congress 2022

25.–28. February 2022

Congress “Juri Lotman’s Semiosphere”

International congress celebrating Juri Lotman’s 100th anniversary in 2022.

Congress programme
Abstracts

In 2022 we celebrate the centenary of the birth of Juri Lotman (28 February 1922), with an International Congress “Juri Lotman’s Semiosphere”.

The official languages of the congress are English and Russian.

The 4-day congress will take place on 25–26 February at Tallinn University and on 27–28 February at the University of Tartu, Estonia.

Keynote speakers

  • Aleida Assmann – University of Konstanz, Germany
  • Mieke Bal – Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis, Netherlands
  • Boris Gasparov – Columbia University, USA
  • Yuri Tsivian – The University of Chicago, USA
  • Boris Uspenskij – National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russia

Read more about our keynote speakers.

Links

Practical information

The congress “Juri Lotman’s semiosphere” takes place on-site in Tallinn and Tartu, as well as online on Worksup platform. Worksup is similar to TV broadcasting: online sessions can be accessed from congress page on the Worksup platform. There will also be a possibility to listen to the online panels in separate rooms at the congress venues in Tallinn and Tartu, allocated for streaming the online programme (see programme).

During the congress, practical assistance is provided by:

ON-SITE practical help

ONLINE IT help

Without the semiosphere, language not only does not function, it does not exist. The different substructures of the semiosphere are linked in their interaction and cannot function without the support of each other. This is the sense of semiosphere in the contemporary world, steadily expanding into space over the centuries, it has now taken on a global character, and includes within itself the call signs of satellites, the verse of poets and the cry of animals. The interdependence of these elements of the semiosphere is not metaphorical, but a reality. 

Juri Lotman “Semiosfäärist”. Rmt: Semiosfäärist. Tallinn: Vagabund 1999

For further information

Supporters

The event is supported by the European Union, European Regional Development Fund (through Enterprise Estonia conference support grant).

EAS project name: Congress “Juri Lotman’s Semiosphere” 2022

Total support: 27 145,49 EUR

Project goals: Congress “Juri Lotman’s Semiosphere” 2022 will celebrate the centenary of the birth of Juri Lotman (1922–1993), renowned Russian-Estonian semiotician, literary scholar and cultural historian. The international interdisciplinary academic event is the most important output of celebrating Lotman’s anniversary in 2022. The main aim of the congress is to promote Lotman’s academic legacy worldwide and bring together an interdisciplinary network of researchers to create a dialogue between experts with different disciplinary backgrounds. The Congress confirms that the Estonian humanities continue to be among the leading European researchers and research centers. Please visit https://jurilotman.ee/congress/

The event is organized in cooperation with the Tallinn University Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Studies and it is supported by the (European Union) European Regional Development Fund (Tallinn University’s ASTRA project, TU TEE activity A7).

Quote background

Without the semiosphere, language not only does not function, it does not exist. The different substructures of the semiosphere are linked in their interaction and cannot function without the support of each other. This is the sense of semiosphere in the contemporary world, steadily expanding into space over the centuries, it has now taken on a global character, and includes within itself the call signs of satellites, the verse of poets and the cry of animals. The interdependence of these elements of the semiosphere is not metaphorical, but a reality. 

Juri Lotman “Semiosfäärist”. Rmt: Semiosfäärist. Tallinn: Vagabund 1999