VII International Interdisciplinary Symposium of Young Scholars in the

Humanities (ISYSH-2026)

Dialogue of Cultures: Georgia and the Outside World (Literary, Cultural, Historical, and Diplomatic Relations)
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

October 22–23, 2026

The Institute of Western European Languages and Literature of the Faculty of Humanities at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University announces a Call for Applications for the interdisciplinary symposium “Dialogue of Cultures: Georgia and the Outside World (Literary, Cultural, Historical, and Diplomatic Relations)” to be held on October 22–23, 2026, at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.

The aim of the symposium is to bring together Georgian and international researchers, translators and representatives of the cultural sector in a shared academic space in order to present current research conducted in Georgia, literary relations and ongoing cultural dialogue.

Within the framework of the symposium, the presentation of the first Georgian anthology of T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land will take place, along with an exhibition of works by Georgian artists Gia Gugushvili and Keti Matabeli, inspired by this theme.

The following sections will be held within the framework of the symposium:

1. Georgian Literature in Foreign Languages (Translation and Reception)
2. Studies in Georgian and Western Cultural Studies
3. Historical and Diplomatic Relations
4. Interdisciplinary Studies: Literature, History, Culture

The symposium is open to young scholars (Master’s and PhD students)
Each presentation will be allocated 20 minutes (15 minutes for presentation + 5 minutes for
discussion).

Participation fee:

 Georgian participants: 100 GEL
 International participants: 100 EUR

The participation fee covers the publication of the symposium program, abstracts, and proceedings. Selected papers (in revised article form) will be published in the international peer-reviewed bilingual journal TSU-ti.

Abstract submission deadline: May 30, 2026

Conference Application (Georgian–English) Must Include

• Author’s first name, last name, academic status, and institutional affiliation
• ORCID ID of the young researcher
• Contact information (telephone number and email address)
• Short biographical note (no more than 100 words)

Abstract Requirements

The Georgian and English abstracts (each no more than 300 words) must include: Statement of the research problem; Relevance of the topic; Research methods; Results; Concluding summary

Abstract Submission Link: https://forms.gle/kw4Jjx3ZYmsDJB8h6

Contact Information

Email: isysh@tsu.ge
Website: https://isysh.tsu.ge/

Scientific Committee of the Symposium

• Jaba Samushia – Rector of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Academician, Georgia
• Darejan Tvaltvadze – Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Professor, Georgia
• Manana Gelashvili – Head of the Institute of Western European Languages and Literatures, Professor, Georgia
• Bela Khabeishvili – Head of the Department of Romance Studies, Institute of Western European Languages and Literatures, Professor, Georgia
• Darejan Gardavadze – Head of the Quality Assurance Department, Faculty of Humanities, Professor, Georgia
• Ekaterine Navrozashvili – Head of the Department of Scientific Research and Development, Faculty of Humanities, Associate Professor, Georgia
• Alexander Kartozia – Professor, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia
• Giorgi (Gia) Gugushvili – Professor, Apolon Kutateladze Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, Georgia
• Konstantine Bregadze – Associate Professor, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia
• Nino Popiashvili – Research and Development Office, Faculty of Humanities, PhD in Philology, Georgia
• Natia Futkaradze – Research and Development Office, Faculty of Humanities, PhD in Philology, Georgia
• Tamar Gelashvili – Assistant Professor, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia
• Rebecca Ann Bach – Professor, Director of Graduate Studies, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
• Joseph P. Wood – Associate Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
• Walter Zidaric – Professor of Italian Literature and Civilization (19th–21st centuries), Director of the Department of Italian, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Cultures, University of Nantes, France
• Antonella Mauri – Professor of French Language and Literature, Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Societies (FLCS), Department of Applied Foreign Languages (LEA), CECILLE Research Laboratory (URL 4074), University of Lille, France
• Chiara Ruffinengo – Associate Professor of Italian and French Language, Translation, and Civilization, FLCS, Department of Applied Foreign Languages (LEA), CECILLE Research Laboratory (URL 4074), University of Lille, France
• Jeanne Renaudin – Associate Professor, Department of French Philology, University of Salamanca, Coordinator of French as a Foreign Language (FLE), Faculty of Education, Spain
• Marek Smoluk – Plenipotentiary of the Rector for International Relations, Professor, Department of English Studies, University of Zielona Góra, Poland
• Nihada Delibegović-Džanić – Full Professor of English Linguistics, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Symposium Organizing Committee

• Lizi Dzagnidze – PhD in Philology, Faculty of Humanities, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia
• Nutsa Gobejishvili – Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
• Natia Failodze – Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
• Ani Baidoshvili – Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University