Cultural Vulnerabilities and Planetary Problems: Creating New Sociological Studies of Culture Between Fragility and Fortitude 21-23 January 2026, Sapienza University of Rome
21-23 January 2026, Sapienza University of Rome
Description
We live in a context of ever-deepening, interlocking, and mutually reinforcing political, technological, digital, and environmental crises. These extend existing vulnerabilities of cultural worlds – be they rural, urban, regional or even planetary – while constantly creating new ones. Accordingly, the research agendas of cultural sociology and the sociology of culture are being put into question and are currently in flux.
This conference invites participants to reflect on how scholars in these areas can creatively and proactively respond to interpenetrating crises. This is with a view to considering how both cultural actors and sociologists may consider the possibilities for transforming weaknesses into strengths, and challenging modes of defencelessness, helplessness, and powerlessness, altering them in more positive directions. What are the ‘resources of hope’ (Raymond Williams) today, and how to think about them in sociological ways?
Contributions are welcome from any perspectives within or near cultural sociology and the sociology of culture, and on any substantive topics related to the theme of vulnerabilities and their overcoming.
Themes
Themes for paper contributions include, but are not limited to, the following areas:
Culture and warfare
Culture and environmental crisis
Culture and existential threats
Cultures and/of extinction
Culture and far right, fundamentalist, and dictatorial politics and regimes Culture and capitalism
Culture and the digital
Cultures of fakery and authenticity
Culture and technological change
Culture and Artificial Information
Culture and human rights
Culture and enforced and voluntary migrations
Culture and ‘Fortress Europe’
Culture and gender controversies
Cultural heritage under threat Culture, humans, non-humans, post-humans Cultural contestations and politics
Dystopic and utopian cultures
Cultural pessimism and optimism Culture and theories of crisis and salvation
Abstract submission
We welcome abstracts of maximum of 300 words to be submitted by 31st May 2025 to email address esarome2026@gmail.com. The submission should include the title of presentation, name(s) and affiliation(s) of the author(s), contact email of the corresponding author, and the abstract. Please do not include bio or other details.
About Research Network RN07
RN07 Sociology of Culture is one of the oldest Research Networks within the ESA. It brings together a wide range of different approaches to sociological analyses of cultural practices and phenomena, from almost all traditions of European Sociology. The Network’s very diverse membership, spanning all European countries as well as other parts of the world, is reflected in its executive Board, which has members from across Europe and beyond. The Network Chair 2024–2026 is Professor David Inglis, University of Helsinki, Finland, and the Co-Chair is Dominik Zelinsky, Slovak Academy of Sciences.
Conference Organising Committee
Chair: Anna-Mari Almila, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Lia Luchetti, Roma Tre University, Italy
Pedro Menezes, University of Minho, Portugal
Rafaela Neiva Ganga, Liverpool John Moores University, UK Beate Peter, University of Groningen, The Netherlands Louis Volont, Hafen City University Hamburg, Germany
Croatian 
English