The concept “the new normal” is a phrase that is both controversial and highly interesting. It was traditionally used within humanities to describe changes in culture, values and worldview that can happen as a result of changes in the political or economic realm. Picked up quickly by media and in popular culture, the term has now become a cliché. However, it is precisely for this reason that the concept has attracted noticeable attraction from young scientists, embedding it in scientific discourse as an ‘umbrella term’ for modern culture’s orientation towards the new (see B. Groys, “On the New”).
For this reason, “the new normal” was chosen a topic for this conference. It covers a wide range of academic disciplines (philosophy, history, sociology, psychology, linguistics, literary criticism, art history, cultural studies, media studies etc.), and allows for an approach of global changes in culture from various angles.
The Russian preposition “к” is used both to mark direction – stressing the continuity of motion– and to indicate completement, denoting intention and finalization. Similarly, this project will allow researchers to conduct research on ongoing changes, while also letting them reflect on previous states of ‘new normality’. Conceptualization of ‘the new’, in art, literature, performances, media, etc., is also encouraged.

Organizing committee

A. Volodko (Herzen University Saint Petersburg), chairman of the committee
T. Ivanova (Herzen University Saint Petersburg)
A. Kozlova (Saint Petersburg State University)
D. Maslov (Herzen University Saint Petersburg)
S. Sokovich (Herzen University Saint Petersburg)
S. Suprunenko (Herzen University Saint Petersburg)
A. Shvaya (Sociological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences)

Program committee

V. Galindabaeva, PhD (Sociological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences – Branch of Russian Sociological Scientific and Research Center of RAS)
Prof. E. van der Zweerde (Radboud University Nijmegen)
S. Martynova, PhD (Herzen University Saint Petersburg)
O. Ovechkina, PhD (Dutch Institute in Saint Petersburg)
E. Ovchinnikova, PhD (Saint Petersburg State University / Research Center for Cultural Exclusion and Frontier Zones, Sociological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences – Branch of Russian Sociological Scientific and Research Center of RAS)
S. Troitskiy, PhD (Herzen University Saint Petersburg / Saint Petersburg State University / Research Center for Cultural Exclusion and Frontier Zones, Sociological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences – Branch of Russian Sociological Scientific and Research Center of RAS).

Applications

Send your application, in either Russian or English, to the organizing committee before January 25, 2022, to newnormal2021.2022[at]gmail.com. Please include your full name, place of work or study and contact information (email, telephone, postal address). Applications will be confirmed by an acknowledgement of receipt.
Additionally, please send an abstract of the intended speech of 200–300 words before January 30, 2022. Participants will be selected by the program committee. The committee reserves the right to edit submitted materials.

Registration:

Everyone who wants to join us for listening and discussing, please, register by February, 25, 2022 using the link: