International Conference “Grammar of Time” Brings Together Researchers From Around the World

The event brought together a wide range of scholars from Latvia, South Korea, China, Slovenia, India, Azerbaijan, the Philippines, Nigeria, Spain, the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and other countries making the University of Latvia one of the most prominent online meeting places in this field of research.

Over the course of three days, the conference provided a multidisciplinary view of the concept of time – from physics, neurobiology and philosophy to anthropology, literature, religious studies and comparative cultural research. At the conference opening, special attention was given to the differences between Einstein's and Bergson's understanding of time, as presented in professor Mārcis Auziņš' keynote speech.

The program featured over 60 presentations that explored the understanding of time across various civilizations, including India, China, Korea, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. The discussions encompassed topics such as plural ontologies of time, traditional and modern models of time, the perception of time in literature, religious texts, and visual culture. Additionally, the concept of time in relation to contemporary social transformation was examined.

The conference was attended by both leading international researchers and young scientists representing a wide range of disciplines and countries. The conference concluded with a special student section, in which students from bachelor's program “Asian and Intercultural Studies” (FH UL) presented their research on the concept of time in different cultures.

The conference also attracted international attention, with China's Xinhua news agency highlighting it as one of the most significant current academic events.

The University of Latvia is proud to continue developing multidisciplinary research on global philosophical and cultural topics, strengthening cooperation with international partner institutions and supporting the growth of a new generation of researchers.

Recordings of all three days of the conference (in English) are available on the YouTube channel of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia:

• recording of the first day;
• recording of the second day;
• recording of the third day.

We would like to thank all conference participants and listeners for their participation!