Call for Papers (CFP)
An International Conference on
Tradition, Modernity, and Internationalism: Rabindranath Tagore and the Making of a New Cultural Paradigm
7, 8, and 9 May 2027
Venue: Edinburgh
Organized by: The Scottish Centre of Tagore Studies (ScoTs), Edinburgh.
Concept Note
Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) remains one of the most influential thinkers of modern India and the global South, whose thoughts continue to illuminate the intersections of tradition, modernity, and internationalism. As a poet, philosopher, educator, and cultural reformer, Tagore envisioned a humanist modernity that would resist both colonial domination and cultural insularity. His ideas of freedom, creativity, and spiritual unity sought to reimagine the very concept of civilization, integral to notions of human learning and identity.
The continuing relevance of Tagore studies lies in their capacity to illuminate enduring questions of identity, freedom and global humanism within an increasingly fractured world. Rabindranath Tagore’s interdisciplinary legacy as a poet, philosopher, educator and environmentalist, invites renewed scholarly engagement that transcends disciplinary and cultural boundaries. His critique of nationalism, advocacy for ecological harmony, and commitment to intercultural dialogue, resonate profoundly with contemporary debates on postcoloniality and cosmopolitan ethics. Modern scholarship has repositioned Rabindranath Tagore as a transnational and postcolonial thinker whose intellectual and creative legacy extends beyond regional and temporal boundaries. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak describes Tagore as a critical cosmopolitan, whose pedagogy and ethics of care challenge the extractive logic of colonial modernity, while envisioning a form of “planetary humanism” rooted in relationality and responsibility. Bashabi Fraser reconceives Tagore within a transnational paradigm, framing him as a dialogic modernist whose synthesis of the spiritual and political registers produces an inclusive ethical horizon. By elucidating his encounter with Western thought, Fraser demonstrates how Tagore’s cosmopolitan vision cultivates a humanitarian ethos predicated on empathy and reciprocity. Her intervention reconceives Tagore studies not as retrospective literary exegesis but as a persistent ethical-philosophical discourse that destabilizes parochial frameworks and reimagines global coexistence for the twenty-first century. Along similar lines, Amartya Sen and Sisir Kumar Das have underscored how Tagore’s liberal humanism and critique of nationalism prefigured later debates in postcolonial and development theory, while Partha Chatterjee and Ashis Nandy have drawn attention to his unique articulation of India’s “alternative modernity.” More recent studies by Uma Das Gupta, Martin Kämpchen, William Radice, and Kalyan Kundu continue to highlight Tagore’s enduring influence on education, ecological ethics, and intercultural dialogue, reaffirming his relevance to the moral and intellectual challenges of the contemporary world. In a world fractured by ideological polarities, global inequality, and ecological crisis, Tagore’s quest for harmony—between tradition and innovation, individuality and community, nation and humanity—remains profoundly relevant.
This international conference seeks to critically re-engage with Rabindranath Tagore’s intellectual, artistic and institutional legacy as a generative framework for reimagining a cosmopolitan cultural paradigm responsive to the epistemic, ethical, and ecological exigencies of the twenty-first century. His intermingling of tradition and innovation continues to offer fertile ground for rethinking the crises of modernity, the ethics of cosmopolitanism, and the interrelations of gender, ecology, and education. By convening an interdisciplinary forum of scholars, educators, artists, writers and creative practitioners whose work intersects with Tagorean ideas across diverse fields, the conference aims to generate critical dialogue and recognise the wider innovative perspectives on the continuing relevance of Tagore’s vision in reimagining the modern world and its plural futures.
The conference invites inclusive and interdisciplinary contributions that explore, but are not limited to, the following areas of inquiry:
1. Tradition and Renewal
This sub-theme invites explorations of how Tagore’s reinterpretation of classical Indian philosophical traditions, particularly Vedantic and Upanishadic thought, shaped his vision of modernity and spirituality. It examines the dialogic interplay of spirituality, reform, and rational inquiry in Tagore’s writings as a means of negotiating the boundaries between faith and reason as he explores the philosophy of Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Sikhism or Christianity. Comparative perspectives that situate Tagore alongside other reformist and philosophical movements further illuminate his dynamic blend of inherited metaphysical frameworks and evolving socio-political realities.
2. Modernity and its Discontents
This area of inquiry focuses on Tagore’s critique of industrialism, nationalism, and colonial modernity, foregrounding his reflections on the ethical, aesthetic and existential dilemmas of modern civilization. Papers may interrogate Tagore’s conception of alternative modernities and indigenous cosmopolitanisms that resist Eurocentric narratives of progress. The sub-theme also encourages discussions on how Tagore’s exploration of aesthetics, ethics and freedom offers a profound framework for understanding the moral imagination and creative expression of modern life.
3. Internationalism and Cosmopolitan Humanism
This sub-theme considers Tagore’s global engagements and cross-cultural dialogues across Asia, Europe and the Americas as expressions of a dialogic cosmopolitanism grounded in ethical reciprocity. It invites reflections on Tagore’s vision of world education as a pedagogical ideal, transcending nationalist paradigms and fostering intercultural encounter. Engagements with postcolonial and global theoretical frameworks are encouraged to reassess Tagore’s cosmopolitan humanism as both a critique of and an alternative to Western universalism.
4. Gender, Ecology, and Education
This sub-theme welcomes an understanding of gender, nature and pedagogy through the interrelated lenses of care, interdependence, and ethical responsibility in Tagore’s work. It invites analyses of Tagore’s educational experiments at Santiniketan and Sriniketan as holistic models integrating ecological awareness with creativity and intellectual development. The sub-theme further considers how Tagore’s pedagogical vision oriented toward peace, sustainability and global citizenship, resonates with contemporary discourses on education and environmental ethics.
5. Tagore in Contemporary Discourse
This sub-theme addresses the multifaceted afterlives of Tagore’s thought and creativity within global and digital modernities. It welcomes discussions on Tagore in translation, transnational reception and world literature as frameworks for understanding his continuing relevance across languages and cultures. Contributions may also engage with digital reinterpretations, multimedia adaptations and other innovative modes through which Tagore’s intellectual and artistic legacy is reimagined for the twenty-first century.
6. Creative Practitioners and the Living Legacy of Tagore
This sub-theme examines the continuing resonance and relevance of Rabindranath Tagore’s aesthetic and philosophical vision within the practices of contemporary writers, artists, performers, activists, and creative performers. It seeks to interrogate how Tagore’s integrative conception of art—as a mode of ethical being, spiritual inquiry and social renewal—finds expression in diverse creative forms across literature, visual and performing arts, music, architecture, films, dance, drama, and design. Emphasizing the transdisciplinary nature of Tagore’s artistic philosophy, this section invites critical analyses of how his ideals of harmony, relationality, and aesthetic freedom are reinterpreted and recontextualized by creative practitioners responding to the cultural, ecological, and political urgencies of the present. By foregrounding these acts of reinterpretation and transformation, the sub-theme positions Tagore’s creative legacy as a living, dialogic force that continues to shape the contours of global artistic modernity and intercultural imagination.
Abstracts of 300 words accompanied by a brief academic biography should be submitted by 31 August 2026 to [email protected].
This conference aims to foster rigorous scholarly exchange that repositions Tagore not merely as a national or cultural icon, but as a thinker whose complex negotiation of tradition, modernity and internationalism offers invaluable insights into the making of new cultural paradigms in the global South and beyond. Keynote lectures will feature eminent scholars in the fields of South Asian studies, comparative literature and cultural theory. We look forward to contributions that advance critical inquiry into the multilayered legacies of Tagore’s thought and the relevance of his vision for contemporary cultural and intellectual challenges. We also invite contributions from creative practitioners, inspired and influenced by Rabindranath Tagore.
This conference welcomes:
Academicians and scholars in literature, philosophy, cultural studies, education, history and global thought.
Creative practitioners—writers, artists, educators, activists, and performers—whose work is inspired or influenced by Tagore’s ideals, aesthetics, and vision of human unity.
Through this collaborative platform, the conference aims to underscore the continuing relevance and resonance of Tagore’s ideas in rethinking the moral, aesthetic and ecological challenges of our time.
Publication Opportunities
Selected papers from the conference presentations will be considered for inclusion in an edited volume to be published by a reputed academic press or as part of a special issue in a double blind peer-reviewed journal devoted to Tagore studies, comparative literature or global humanism. Contributors whose work demonstrates significant originality and interdisciplinary engagement, will also be invited to expand their papers for publication. Further details regarding the publication process will be shared following the conference.
Creative practitioners are invited to submit their work to Gitanjali and Beyond, a peer-reviewed open-access academic and creative international journal of the Scottish Centre of Tagore Studies (ScoTs), promoting creative writing and research on Rabindranath Tagore’s work and life, his circle and his impact.
For any conference-related inquiries, please contact the ScoTs Conference 2027 conveners as listed:
Dr. Saptarshi Mallick ([email protected])
Dr. Payel C Mukherjee ([email protected])
You may also write to Professor Bashabi Fraser CBE, Director, Scottish Centre of Tagore Studies (ScoTs), Edinburgh Napier University ([email protected]).
Conference Fees:
Full fee: 80 GBP
Concession : 50 GBP
