On Touching and (E)motion

On Touching and (E)motion: Intercontinental Encounters

May 2-3, 2026 | National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Join us for an international and interdisciplinary conference exploring the creative and critical potential of interactions between the tangible and intangible. This two-day gathering will illuminate points of contact between East and West, fostering culturally immersive dialogue across centuries of critical thought and intercultural relations.

In our contemporary moment, as we increasingly live significant portions of our lives in virtual space, questions of touch, materiality, and emotion become ever more pressing. From virtual relationships with AI to the movement of healing practices across continents, from performance art's ephemeral traces to the philosophical foundations of embodied knowledge—this conference brings together scholars from Literature, Philosophy, Art History, Social Sciences, Linguistics, Media Studies, and Performance Arts.

Key Information:

• Dates: May 2-3, 2026

• Location: National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

• Language: English 

• Registration: Free of charge

• Abstract Submission Deadline: November 14th, 2025

We welcome contributions that move beyond conventional cultural analysis to engage all the senses and venture into the boundless realm of virtual relations and identity construction.