Multisensuality Through History and Across Media
International Scientific Conference
When: November 17-18, 2022
Where: Online (Zoom)
We experience the world in a multisensual way. Consider entering a perfumery where you can see beautiful bottles of perfumes and smell pleasant fragrances while hearing the relaxing music and faint sounds of conversation among customers. Yet, this multisensory experience can be so easily adversely affected by simple allergy or, in the more recent context, by the obligation of wearing a face covering or, more severely, by an impaired sense of smell caused by the illness. The sensual experience of the reality around us directly affects how and what we think and feel, what we know and create – and therefore who we are.
Currently, in humanities and social sciences, we are witnessing the sensory turn, which draws attention to the previously neglected multisensory experience of the world, as well as to the powerfulness of the (non)human corporeality. The sense of sight, valued in Western culture, lost its privileged position in favour of the cooperation of all, often underestimated senses. The interest in the multisensory experience involving the senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste is constantly evolving not only among scholars engaged with everyday culture and history, but also among sociologists and education experts. In addition, multisensuality clearly marks its presence in the media landscape, for example in the context of multisensual use of digital and social media.
This conference aims to reflect on the experience of multisensuality in cultural and historical contexts. Papers are invited from scholars working in any discipline, including history, art history, cultural studies, film and media studies, and education studies.
We welcome papers on the topic of multisensuality including but not limited to the following: