The Aesthetic and Culture in the Arts
The 3rd Sociology of the Arts Postgraduate Research Symposium
7 October 2026 (9.00am-5:00pm BST)
University of Edinburgh, UK
About the Event
The aesthetic is an unavoidable issue for sociologists who are interested in the arts, cultural objects and activities, tastes and social stratification, and so forth. But the current scholarship remains segmented across these various domains and sub-disciplines, even though the aesthetic is increasingly permeated and ubiquitous in our daily life and various cultural processes. This research landscape calls for more interdisciplinary dialogues.
This postgraduate symposium invites emerging sociologists and art historians and theorists to exchange perspectives on the aesthetic. Both Master’s and PhD students are welcome. Along with conventional presentations, the symposium also invites listeners to write down their comments to the presenters in order to foster evolving dialogue among participants. The event will have around nine presentations and end with a keynote by Dr Liliana Riga.
Keynote Speaker
- Dr Liliana Riga - Title TBC
Liliana Riga is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. She is a comparative historical sociologist by training and is developing an original approach to the study of art that draws on this expertise. She is currently working on a forthcoming book The Modern Self: An Art-Historical Sociology.
Call for Papers
Please submit your abstract (250 words maximum) by 29 May 2026.
Prospective participants should submit an abstract of their presented research that addresses the following issues or other related topics:
- Philosophy of art and aesthetics
- Aesthetic theories
- Aesthetic encounters and aesthetic experience
- Social aesthetics
- Materiality of aesthetic objects
- The aesthetic in research methods and methodologies
- Research ethics around the aesthetic
The symposium will admit around nine presenters. The event organisers will select and decide the successful candidates with the guidance of the BSA Sociology of the Arts Study Group.
Registration
This event is free to attend but registration is required. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Travel Support
To enlarge the scope of participation, this event provides modest financial support for presenters who are travelling from beyond Edinburgh on a case-by-case basis. Should the presenter wish to
apply, please write briefly in the online form to articulate your situation and provide an approximate cost of travel support you need. The application to financial support will not affect the abstract
selection process.