Call for the Conference: The First International Conference on Humanities Transformation: Technology, Assessment, Management

October 10-13, 2019
Shanghai, China

1. About the Conference 
The modern fate of humanities globally is obviously of grave importance and wide concern. A productive working relations with the ever-evolving developments of technology, an academically respectful standards in assessment, and above all an effective and sustainable measure in academic management stand at the core of such concerns. As an internationally renowned institution, nurturing humanities with increasingly critical acclaim, Shanghai Jiao Tong University is pleased to host a conference to engage leaders, AI specialists, quality assessment experts from University Ranking institutes, publishing houses, leading Journals and scholars in global humanities for debate, discussions, aiming at achieving concrete theoretical outcomes, practical conclusions and policy recommendations. Students from prestigious Chinese universities will debate on the impact of AI on humans’ development, demonstrating their sparkling brilliance in front of the audience. The Conference is a joint event sponsored by Association of Comparative Literature and Transcultural Studies (ACLTS, CAFL), Asian New Humanities Network (ANHN) , International Council of Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH, UNESCO) and Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages. We hereby call for papers and your active participation.
The Conference will proceed with Opening Ceremony, Academician/President Forum, Deans Round Table, College Students Debate Presentation, Chief Editors Forum, Panel Discussion, Workshops, Closing ceremony in three days conference.

The Themes of the Conference Include:
Discussion or debate could focus around the following themes, within the broad frame of the Humanities:

• The Humanities and AI
• Digital Humanities
• Technological Society
• Quality Standards of Humanities Assessment
• World Universities Rankings
• Technology, Science Fiction and Comparative Literature
• Cultural Diversity
• Medical Humanities

2. Key Issues to Address:

1. Techhumanistic issues and AI: to explore the significant and substantial impact of technology, in particular, artificial intelligence on the revolutionary transformation to humans lifestyle, way of thinking, education, scientific researches as well as its dangers, risks to the existence of humans and global governance. More specific areas include AI and law, AI and city governance, AI and language, AI and Society, AI and Media, AI and translation.
2. Digital Humanities: to explore the integration of humanities and computing technology, the transformation of humans’ memories into digital medium, cultural heritage digitalized, and cross-and-inter media studies of sound, word and image digitalized.
3. Humanities assessment and World University Rankings: to explore more scientific and human assessment of achievements related to individual, discipline, university and international
4. Technology, science fiction, and comparative literature: to discuss about the latest development of technology in fiction, controversial issues related to cosmopolitan literature and national literature, and cultural diversity and intercultural studies. Comparative studies of cultures in global context, the communication and integration of literature, science fiction, technology and art or cross media studies will be covered.
5. AI and medical humanities: to explore ethical problems brought about by the wide use of AI in medical areas, in particular, the consequences to human life, health and life care.

3. Registration

• Email registration: online registration through email runs from 10 April to 31August 2019. An official notice of invitation will be sent by e-mail once you have registered to attend the conference through email.
• Registration on check-in: volunteers of the conference will be available to provide assistance for the participants at the reception desk, ground floor, Shanghai Xihua Hotel (No.1, West Huaihai Road, Shanghai).

4. Instructions for Abstracts and Call for Papers

1. Abstract Participants are invited to submit a short abstract (200-250 words) and a profile (150-200 words) with recent photo that includes title, education background, university affiliation, research areas, and details of key publications as an email attachment to sylvia_only@163.com by 31 July, 2019. These abstracts will be printed in the conference handbooks.
2. Call for Papers Before the conference, participants will be encouraged to contribute longer papers with strong arguments on the themes listed above. Papers should include a title with the name(s) of the author(s) and affiliation(s), and an abstract followed by an
   introduction, the main body of text, conclusions, and references in MLA style. The length should be around 7000 words. A soft copy of the full text in MS WORD format should be sent to the conference secretaries at sylvia_only@163.com by 31 August, 2019.
3. Publication A Special Issue of Comparative Literature and Transcultural Studies will be published by Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press and a distinguished foreign publishing house for selected papers later in 2020. Comparative Literature and Transcultural Studies is a Chinese journal with two issues each year. From 2020, the English version will be published through international cooperation.

5. Important Dates

• Deadline for email registration: 31 August, 2019
• Deadline for abstract: 31 July, 2019
• Deadline for full text submission: 31 August, 2019 l Conference: 10-12 October, 2019
• Cultural Exploration and Workshops in Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages: 13 Oct, 2019

6. Conference Arrangements

• 10 October: Registration and check-in (13:00 p.m.-20:00 p.m.)
• 11 October: Conference l 12 October: Conference
• 13 October: Cultural exploration and workshops in Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages

7. Conference Language
The working language of the conference is English and Chinese, which will be used for all the presentations and printed material.

8. Conference Venue
Xuhui Campus, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 1954, Huashan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai

9. Registration Fee 
Except invited speakers, the Conference Fee is US$140 for each scholar. It covers conference hall hire, meals, tea-break and printing materials. You will be responsible for managing your own flight/transport and accommodation.

10. Accommodation 
Participants are recommended to stay at Shanghai Xihua Hotel (No.1, West Huaihai Road, Shanghai;上海西华酒店，徐汇区淮海西路 1 号), a five minute walk to the Xuhui Campus, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. A special rate will be offered to conference participants. We have two options for your reference:
l US$70/night per room (Superior Single Room) l US$80/night per room (Park View Single Room)  Reservations can be made through the conference secretaries: sylvia_only@163.com

11. Transportation
Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport serve international flights and domestic or regional flights respectively. Shanghai Pudong airport is located 30 kilometers east to the city center while Hongqiao only 13 kilometers west of downtown. You could take the subway in Hongqiao or Pudong Airport; taxis are also available at both airports. Volunteer assistance will be provided if needed, to be arranged in advance by email.

12. Contact Us
All those interested in attending the conference and in receiving further information are welcome to contact: The Conference Convener, Professor PENG Qinglong via his assistants Miss JIN Yunxi and Miss CHEN Yuru School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University 800 Dongchuan Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China Email: sylvia_only@163.com Tel: +86-21-34205664

For more information, please visit http://sfl.sjtu.edu.cn/Data/View/3766.