Divya Agarwal
Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], April 28: Navrachana University will host ACS 2026 – the Asian Congress of Semiotics from 27–29 November 2026, marking its first edition in India. The conference is organized under the Asian Semiotics International Association (ASIA) and hosted by the School of Environmental Design and Architecture (SEDA) at Navrachana University. It will bring together scholars and researchers to examine how meaning is shaped across cultural, visual, and technological contexts.
The central theme, “Similitude,” focuses on the role of similarity and relational structures in meaning-making, offering new perspectives within semiotic discourse. The conference will include keynote lectures, paper presentations, and panel discussions, creating a platform for interdisciplinary exchange across Asian contexts.
The conference will feature eminent keynote speakers, including Prof. Hidetaka Ishida, a leading Japanese semiotician and media theorist and Prof. Massimo Leone, Professor of Philosophy of Communication and Cultural Semiotics at the University of Turin, Italy.
Speaking on the announcement, Prof. Pratyush Shankar, Provost, Navrachana University, said,“Hosting ACS 2026 reflects Navrachana University’s commitment to advancing critical discourse in semiotics and related fields. The conference will foster meaningful academic exchange and contribute to a deeper understanding of how meaning is shaped across cultures in an increasingly interconnected and technologically evolving world.”
Echoing this perspective on the conference’s academic and contextual relevance, Dr. Seema Khanwalkar, Vice President, Asian Semiotics International Association, added, “Bringing the Asian Congress of Semiotics to the School of Environmental Design and Architecture (SEDA), Navrachana University, reflects a strong alignment with its interdisciplinary approach to design and inquiry. Situated in Vadodara, a city with a rich cultural and intellectual legacy, the conference finds a meaningful and fitting context.”
Building on these discussions, the Asian Congress of Semiotics (ACS 2026) invites scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit abstracts for presentation. The deadline for abstract submission is 21 May 2026. The call for submissions is structured across three key tracks:
1. Similes in Visual Textuality: Aligning thinking and making in Art, Design, and New Technology
2. Similes in Urban Semiosphere: The City, Cultural Landscapes, and Public Places
3. Similes in Temporal Translations: Architecture, Objects, and the Permanence of the Ephemeral
Selected papers are expected to be considered for publication in a Scopus-indexed volume.
The Asian Congress of Semiotics (ACS 2026) will bring together scholars and practitioners in semiotics, communication, design, and cultural studies to engage with emerging ideas and contribute to ongoing academic discourse across Asian and global contexts.
For more details, visit: https://www.acs2026india.com/
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