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DiscourseNet Conference 2027: Discursive Imaginaries of Change

Call for Papers (Download)

About the Conference

In 1527, Philipps University of Marburg was founded as a place of intellectual upheaval: the world’s first Protestant university, which can be understood as a heterotopia in the context of a profound transformation. Five hundred years later, the DNC 2027 is coming to Marburg to ask: How do we imaginatively conceive, negotiate, and live out transformation in discourse today?

We live in a world of multiple crises: intertwined climate disasters, the rise of authoritarian regimes, growing social inequalities, and the rapid transformation of the public sphere by artificial intelligence and digital media. Yet the linguistic and discursive practices we use to address these challenges are by no means neutral. It is not uncommon for academic discourse to reproduce precisely those interpretive frameworks it seeks to critique. The 2027 DNC conference therefore invites scholars to move beyond merely “talking about problems” and instead ask: What discursive fault lines, counter-imaginaries, and heterotopic spaces are currently emerging? What futures are already being articulated - and by whom?

Rather than viewing “transformation” as a goal to be achieved, we understand it as a discursive space: as a terrain of meaning-making, power, conflict, language, and imagination. Drawing on social imaginaries, discourse theory, and critical epistemologies, we invite researchers from the humanities and social sciences ((Linguistics, sociology, media studies, cultural theory, organizational research; gender and minority studies, education, organizational education, political science, philosophy, history, etc.) to examine, from a discourse-analytic perspective, the ways in which transformation is narrated, negotiated, and reimagined.

Thematic Focuses

Imaginary and Discourse: How are the meanings of “transformation,” “crisis,” or “future” constructed, stabilized, and contested in political, media, and everyday discourses? Which social imaginaries shape collective conceptions of the economy, democracy, society, and ecology?

Power, Knowledge, and Epistemic Struggles: What knowledge is considered legitimate, and what is marginalized? We particularly welcome contributions from the Global South, as well as from decolonial, feminist, and Indigenous perspectives that challenge Western-modern interpretive frameworks. We are also interested in analyses of how educational systems, organizations, and communicative practices normalize certain epistemic orders.

Heterotopias and Counter-Movements: Where do alternative spaces, practices, and discourses emerge? How are the commons, care, solidarity, and more-than-human interconnections articulated as alternatives to market logic? And what is the relationship between such spaces and hegemonic formations - or, rather, how might they transform them?

Methodological Reflexivity: How can discourse studies reflect on its own positions, avoid hegemonic narrowings or epistemic romanticism, and develop forms of “caring research”? What are the implications of this for engaged, transdisciplinary, or co-creative methodologies?

Topics and Proposed Panels

We invite 15–20-minute presentations (followed by a 10-minute discussion) that address the conference theme. Contributions that do not clearly fit into any of the thematic areas are expressly welcome. Proposed panels may, for example, address the following perspectives:

Philosophical: Alternative epistemologies, ontological pluralism, and politics of knowledge.
Political: Populism, the dismantling of democracy, postcolonial and feminist visions of democracy.
Economic: From neoliberalism to plural economies; the discursive construction of the “Great Transformation”
Linguistic: From grand to small narratives, regimes of truth, post-truth orders
Social and Spatial: Social fragmentation, commoning, urban heterotopias such as commons/public partnerships, and community-based change
Ecological: Discourses on climate change, more-than-human interconnections, Buen Vivir, and degrowth
Education and organization: onto-epistemological perspectives, e.g., on commoning in education, institutional discourses, discursive perspectives on organizational learning and education, and pedagogical imaginaries
Methodology: Reflexive, Caring, and Transdisciplinary Research Approaches
Media and Digital Imaginaries: AI Safety and Alignment, Digital Platforms, and the Co-Production of Societal Futures
Gender, Minorities, and Postcolonialism: Anti-feminist and Anti-LGBTQ+ Discourses, In-Group/Out-Group Constructions, and Decolonial Imaginaries
And many more...

Presentation Formats

Individual presentations: Individual presentations are standalone presentations of research findings, theoretical work, or other contributions related to the conference theme. Presentations typically last 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for questions and discussion. Presentations are grouped into sessions that cover related topics.

Each paper must be submitted separately and should include a title, an abstract of no more than 250 words, and references (APA 7).

Please structure your presentation so that there is still time for questions within your allotted time. We recommend that you conclude your presentation with a few questions to stimulate discussion afterward.

Symposia: A symposium brings together three thematically related presentations in a 90-minute conference session. The presentations should be linked by a common theme, a shared research question, or a common research problem, and should explore different aspects or perspectives of the overarching theme.

The three papers will be submitted together as a single symposium submission. The submission consists of an introduction of up to 400 words and abstracts of up to 200 words for each of the three papers, not including the title and reference list (APA 7).

The symposium is designed to facilitate a coherent exploration of a common theme through a series of interconnected presentations. Speakers should set aside time for discussion and exchange during the 90-minute session.

Research Workshops: Research workshops are designed to facilitate methodological exchange and practical research-related work. They offer the opportunity to engage more interactively with a methodological question, research practice, or a related topic, rather than focusing exclusively on individual presentations. Workshops may include discussions, practical exercises, or other forms of active participation and take place in a 90-minute session. Please submit a 600-word introduction, a 400-word section on methodology, and a 300-word bibliography.

For more information on the formats, please visit the conference website: https://discourseanalysis.net/DNC2027

Unconferencing

The “UnConferencing” format offers a participatory and collaboratively designed space for discussions, networking, and exchange. Participants can suggest topics, such as book projects, research initiatives, conferences, current issues, or other topics they would like to discuss. It also offers the opportunity to establish contacts with the University of Marburg and regional partners, including the Gender Center and the Democracy Center.

The unconference sessions will take place on Tuesday afternoon and will last 90 minutes. Everyone is invited to suggest a topic for a session. Proposals for networking and collaborative activities should be submitted via Conftool.

Conference Languages

Please select the language in which you would like to present your paper in Conftool (English, French, Spanish, or German).

Submissions

All papers must be submitted via Conftool: https://www.conftool.com/dnc2027/

Registration Fees and Registration

Participants must sign up for an active DiscourseNet membership (€60 for 2 years) and pay a conference fee. In the spirit of solidarity, we differentiate as follows:

Early-Bird-Rate (through March 31, 2027)

Professors/ researchers affiliated with an institution: €168
Doctoral students: €83
Colleagues from the Global South / students: €43

Standard Rate (through June 15, 2027):

Professors and researchers affiliated with an institution: €253
Docotral students: €153
Colleagues from the Global South: €83

Payment instructions will be sent with the confirmation of acceptance and can be accessed via Conftool. The conference is also open to non-presenting participants with active DN membership.

Non-presenting participants from the host institution (Philipps University of Marburg) are exempt from the DiscourseNet membership fee.

Venue

The conference will take place in person at Philipps University of Marburg. Further information on travel, accommodations, and the program will be posted at https://discourseanalysis.net/DNC2027. Online participation is not planned.

The conference is being organized in cooperation with the Center for Gender Studies and the Center for Democracy at Philipps University of Marburg. The local organizing team is led by Prof. Dr. Susanne Maria Weber.

Contact

For more information about the conference, registration, accommodations, or the program, please contact: DNC 2027 Organizing Team: dncongress2027@gmail.com