【Article by the Department of English and the Department of Philosophy】
NCCU English — The Department of English and the Department of Philosophy at National Chengchi University (NCCU) jointly hosted the international symposium “Critical Canons: Rethinking Aesthetics in a More-Than-Human World” on December 6–7, 2025, at NCCU’s Research and Innovation Incubation Center in Taipei, Taiwan. Sponsored by the Ministry of Education’s World Excellence 100 Project, the symposium brought together scholars from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and the United States to engage in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural dialogue on pressing humanistic topics, including canon formation, multispecies relations, ethics, and aesthetics.
Despite a preparation period of only a few months, the symposium received submissions from scholars and graduate students across four continents and more than ten countries, demonstrating strong international interest and participation. The event highlighted the close collaboration between NCCU’s Departments of English and Philosophy, showcasing how cross-departmental cooperation enables participants to explore diverse perspectives from literary studies, philosophy, and cultural theory, while also witnessing the practical significance of interdisciplinary engagement in contemporary research. Tea breaks and a conference dinner facilitated further scholarly exchange.
The two-day program featured two plenary roundtable sessions, themed “Canon Reformation” and “Ethics and Aesthetics.” The first day focused on rethinking the canon through literary translation, cultural critique, and Asian philosophical perspectives, prompting renewed reflection on how classics are defined and sustained. The second day centered on philosophical inquiry, examining ethics, aesthetics, religion, artificial intelligence, and multispecies coexistence, addressing the entanglements of technology and the humanities in today’s world.
In addition to the roundtable lectures, multiple panel sessions were held, covering topics such as animal studies, science fiction and canon, ecology and cyborg theory, and more. Panels integrated academic analysis with artistic practices and cross-textual approaches, demonstrating the intellectual richness of multispecies thinking. Complementary activities included editorial, meditation, and academic workshops, an art exhibition featuring reinterpretations of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, a musical performance of literary works, student postcard creation, and a book exhibition supported by participating scholars.
Graduate student engagement was a notable highlight. Six NCCU graduate students presented their research at the symposium, translating classroom learning into international academic discourse. Students also submitted their research and creative work to other academic conferences and literary journals, showcasing the scalability and relevance of their work. Through these experiences, students strengthened research and communication skills, built academic confidence, and learned to extend coursework into master’s theses and public scholarship, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in cultivating interdisciplinary expertise, creative practice, and professional development.
The symposium attracted approximately 120 participants from academia and the broader public, including scholars, graduate students, and community members interested in literature, philosophy, cultural studies, aesthetics, and environmental humanities. The event successfully fostered meaningful dialogue across disciplines, cultures, and species, integrating scholarly research with creative and reflective practices. By doing so, it broadened academic horizons and opened new directions for contemporary humanistic inquiry, highlighting NCCU’s commitment to international academic collaboration, multispecies and environmental aesthetics research, and student development.