2nd South Asian Exchanges International Conference on Arts and Culture of South Asia

Venue: Virtual

Online Platform: ZOOM

Key Features

• Open Access

• Double-Blind Peer Review

• Plagiarism Check

• Systematic Archival and Preservation

• Standard Publication

• Aims and Scope of the Conference

Concept Note

Europe had always had a very complex relationship with South Asia in particular and the entire Third World in general. Sometimes they praise literature from South Asia, and sometimes they reduce the literature from South Asia to nothingness. For instance, Fredric Jameson says, “All third-world texts are necessarily, I want to argue, allegorical, and in a very specific way: they are to be read as what I will call national allegories, even when, or perhaps I should say, particularly when their forms develop out of predominantly western machineries of representation, such as the novel”. His argument is quite reductive of Asian literature because the History of literature in the Asian region is much older than European region. In India earliest works were written in Vedic Sanskrit, which include religious literature and the earliest texts on natural sciences. Later, there are works on almost all walks of life.  There is a wealth of early Chinese literature dating from the Hundred Schools of Thought that occurred during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770–256 BC). The most important of these include the Classics of Confucianism, of Daoism, of Mohism, of Legalism, as well as works of military science and Chinese history. There are poems and songs; most of this literature is philosophical and didactic. Literature and philosophy in Bhutan and Nepal developed in the form of Folk literature, which is very rich and deals with almost all aspects of life. The same is the case with Arabic literature, which is also rich in natural sciences, philosophy, and creative writings. Japan initially developed its script under the influence of Chinese script; however, during the classical period, it developed to its full extent and dealt with all walks of life.

This complex understanding of South Asian Literature in European literature still continues, however, with the emergence of many excellent writers and renewed interest in the ancient and medieval literatures, as correctly stated by Mahbub Haq in his Human Development in South Asia (1997), it has gained immense importance in today’s changing world scenario. In the last few decades, the South Asian countries have taken center stage in the literary world with a diversified, yet intensely rich literature of its own kind, which has boldly broken itself free from the suffocating legacy of its colonial masters. This demands a closer look at the cultural and socio-political upheaval looming large in our own backyard. It is high time that the wealth of the literature from this region should be discussed.

Call for Abstract

The 2^nd South Asian Exchanges International Conference seeks to explore the intersections of art and literature across South Asia, examining how they reflect, resist, and reimagine identity, politics, spirituality, and everyday life. The Conference invites original, unpublished research articles and scholarly papers from teachers, professionals, research scholars, independent researchers, and students studying at the postgraduate level on the following areas, but not limited to:

1. Classical & Vernacular Traditions

• Epics and oral storytelling from South Asian Countries
• Classical dance and music as narrative forms
• Indigenous art forms and folk literature across regions

2. Colonial Legacies & Postcolonial Voices

• Literature of resistance and reform during colonial rule
• Post-independence literary movements and artistic expressions
• Reimagining identity through postcolonial aesthetics

3. Gender, Sexuality & Representation

• Feminist and queer narratives in South Asian literature and art
• Women’s voices in folk traditions and contemporary media
• Gendered spaces in visual and performative arts

4. Diaspora, Migration & Transnational Narratives

• South Asian literature in exile and diaspora
• Hybrid identities and cultural translation
• Art as memory and archive of displacement

5. Religion, Ritual & Spiritual Aesthetics

• Devotional poetry and sacred art
• Intersections of faith, myth, and creativity
• Ritual performance and symbolic storytelling

6. Language, Translation & Multilingualism

• Literary production across South Asia’s linguistic diversity
• Challenges and politics of translation
• Cross-border literary collaborations

7. Caste, Class & Social Justice

• Marginalized voices in literature and art
• Dalit literature and visual activism
• Art as critique of social hierarchies

8. Ecology, Place & Indigenous Knowledge

• Environmental storytelling and eco-poetics
• Land, memory, and artistic resistance
• Indigenous aesthetics and sustainable practices

9. Contemporary & Digital Expressions

• Graphic novels, spoken word, and experimental forms
• Digital storytelling and online literary communities
• AI, NFTs, and the future of South Asian creativity

10. Literatures from South Asia

• Literature from China
• Literature from Japan
• Literature from Nepal
• Literature from Bhutan
• Literature from Burma
• Literature from Malaysia
• Literature from Thailand
• Literature from Indonesia
• Literature from Sri Lanka

11. Archives, Museums & Cultural Institutions

• Preserving and curating South Asian artistic heritage
• Community archives and participatory documentation
• Decolonizing museum practices

Important Dates:

Conference Dates: 23-25 January 2026

Call for Abstract Opens: 20^th November 2025

Abstract Submission Closes: 15^th January 2026 (Extended)

Notification of Acceptance: 5th January 2026

Registration Period: 6^th to 12^th January 2026

Full Paper Submission Deadline: 28^th February 2026

Publication of Proceedings: Selected Papers will be published in South Asian Exchanges and other allied Journals.

Author’s Guidelines

• Submit the abstract of your paper in about 200-300 words (Times New Roman, 12) with 5-6 Keywords. Use a separate attachment for this and do not include any personal data for double-blind peer review.
• Include your personal details (name, affiliation, address, phone number, email ID) in the body of the email.
• Finally, after the conference, you will have to submit full-length papers. Use the same email and do not use separate emails.
• Articles should be written in an MS Word file following the latest edition of APA style
• Word Limits for the full paper: Minimum 6000 words
• Authors’ bio-note of around 50-60 words should be added at the end of the draft/full paper.
• Selected Papers will be published in the Journal of South Asian Exchanges and other allied Journals

Submission Process

Send your abstracts and/or articles to:

      Thakurdas Jana, Managing Editor, Journal of South Asian Exchanges.

      Email: editor@saexchanges.com

Registration Fees

Fees for Presentation:

          – INR 1500 for Indian Authors

          – USD 30 for non-Indian Authors

Fees for Presentation and Publication

         – INR 3000 for Indian Authors

         – USD 50 for non-Indian Authors

Link for Registration: Register here

Contact Details

Thakurdas Jana, Managing Editor, Journal of South Asian Exchanges.

Email: editor@saexchanges.com, WhatsApp No: +91- 7047598085