Global Initiatives and Sino-globalization: Semiotic Systems, Vectors, Receptions
Initiatives globales et sino-mondialisation : systèmes sémiotiques, vecteurs, réceptions
Abstract
The symposium “Global Initiatives and Sino-globalization: Semiotic Systems, Vectors, Receptions” (November 23rd and 24th, 2026), will take place at Bordeaux Montaigne University, in partnership with three research units: D2iA (Dynamiques, Interactions, Interculturalité Asiatiques – UMRU 24140), LAM (Les Afriques dans le Monde - UMR 5115) and IFRAE (Institut Français de Recherche sur l’Asie de l’Est – UMR 8043). This scientific event aims to produce an immersive analysis by giving an overview of representations mobilized and spread at an international scale by the Chinese Party-State.
Announcement
Argument
After the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Community of shared future, global initiatives for security (GSI, 2021), development (GDI, 2022), civilization (GCI, 2023) and governance (GGI, 2025) can be seen as Xi Jinping’s determination to gather an increasing number of international actors. Beijing’s aim is to reconfigure the global order thanks to the Chinese regime’s narratives and interests (Shue, 2018; Dian & Menegazzi 2025; Tudoroiu, 2025). Thereby, Xi’s diplomacy develops and hinges on semiotic systems using concepts, principles, standards, ideological representations and even civilizational narratives, which reveal the expectations and objectives of the People’s Republic of China.
Nonetheless, focusing on the discursive dimension of these narratives could lead to analysis only partially connected to their objects and contexts, or to the policies implemented. In this context, it seems necessary to combine the discursive approach with a multidisciplinary analysis of the (geo)political, economic, normative and socio-historical contexts in which they are embedded. Combining these approaches will not only clarify the pursued objectives, but also draw attention to how they feed back into each other, and how they strengthen/weaken receivers’ appropriation of semiotic systems.
The symposium “Global Initiatives and Sino-globalization: Semiotic Systems, Vectors, Receptions” (November 23rd and 24th, 2026), will take place at Bordeaux Montaigne University, in partnership with three research units: D2iA (Dynamiques, Interactions, Interculturalité Asiatiques – UMRU 24140), LAM (Les Afriques dans le Monde - UMR 5115) and IFRAE (Institut Français de Recherche sur l’Asie de l’Est – UMR 8043). This scientific event aims to produce an immersive analysis by giving an overview of representations mobilized and spread at an international scale by the Chinese Party-State.
We are inviting researchers from any disciplinary field to submit contributions questioning those narratives or, at a larger scale, of Chinese narratives, taking into consideration one or more, of the following purposes:
- Provide a contextualized analysis of the semiotic systems employed by the People’s Republic of China through its global initiatives, or of the discourses and narratives it promotes abroad, in order to produce a better understanding of the underlying visions and objectives
- Analyze the vectors, modes of production and spaces of diffusion through which these discursive elements are disseminated
- Highlight various configurations surrounding the reception of these semiotic systems, in order to bring evidence of the transformations and impacts they are likely to produce at local, regional and/or global scales. We also welcome comparisons with other global-scale projects developed concurrently with, or in response to China’s initiatives: Global Gateway (European Union), “Voice of the Global South” (India), etc.
Submission guidelines
If you want to present a paper, please submit your abstract on the Sciencesconf platform [https://sinoglobal.sciencesconf.org/?lang=en].
The deadline for submission is before June 29th, 2026.
Submissions must include the following elements (only in French or English):
- Title
- a 300-word abstract (+/- 10%)
- 5 key words
- a 100-word biography (+/- 10%)
For any additional information, please contact Alexandre Gandil (alexandre.gandil@u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr) and Noémie Marques-Verhille (noemie.marques@u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr).
Scientific committee
- Séverine Arsene (Executive Director, DECRIPT Program, INALCO / Associate Researcher, Sciences Po, Médialab)
- Daniel Bach (Emeritus Senior Research Fellow, CNRS, Centre Emile Durkheim)
- Rémi Castets (Associate Professor, Bordeaux Montaigne University, D2iA)
- Sinan Chu (Research Fellow, GIGA / Associate Researcher, Sciences Po, CERI)
- Jérôme Doyon (Junior Professor, Sciences Po, CERI)
- Chloé Froissart (Professor, Inalco, IFRAE)
- Alexandre Gandil (Postdoctoral Researcher, Bordeaux Montaigne University, D2iA / DECRIPT Program)
- Juliette Genevaz (Associate Professor, Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University / IFRAE)
- Marie Hiliquin (Postdoctoral Researcher, IRSEM Europe)
- Emmanuel Labarbe (Reader, Université Bordeaux Montaigne)
- Noémie Marques-Verhille (PhD, Université Bordeaux Montaigne / LAM)
Places
- MAISON DES SCIENCES HUMAINES DE BORDEAUX (MSHBx) - UNIVERSITE BORDEAUX MONTAIGNE - 10 Esplanade des Antilles
Pessac, France (33)
Event attendance modalities
Full online event
Keywords
- Chine, mondialisation, Nnouvelles routes de la soie, initiatives globales
Contact(s)
- Noémie Marques-Verhille
courriel : noemie [dot] marques [at] u-bordeaux-montaigne [dot] fr - Alexandre Gandil
courriel : alexandre [dot] gandil [at] inalco [dot] fr
Reference Urls
License
This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.
To cite this announcement
« Global Initiatives and Sino-globalization: Semiotic Systems, Vectors, Receptions », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Tuesday, June 09, 2026, https://doi.org/10.58079/16d8c
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