European Society for Process Thought The 14th International Whitehead Conference will be held July 17–20, 2026, in Zhuhai, China, at Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU). Zhuhai is a vibrant coastal city in southern China, located on the Pearl River Delta neighboring Macau and Hong Kong.
This global gathering of scholars, educators, and practitioners marks a pivotal moment to engage Alfred North Whitehead’s philosophy in dialogue with the pressing challenges and transformative opportunities of the 21st century. The theme of the 2026 International Whitehead Conference is: “Process Philosophy in a Time of Polycrisis: Science, Meaning, and Civilization.” The conference will explore how process thought can illuminate the great transitions of our time—toward a more sustainable, creative, and compassionate world.
Building on the legacy of previous IWCs, the Zhuhai conference will highlight Whitehead’s continuing relevance for science and modernization, the integration of cultural traditions with contemporary innovation, and the construction of an ecological civilization and a community of shared future for humankind. Supporting China’s vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, this conference aims to advance creative dialogue between Chinese and global perspectives on civilization, ecology, and modernization.
With participants expected from more than 15 countries, the 2026 IWC will combine scholarly rigor with innovative collaborative formats. In addition to academic paper presentations, participants will engage in interdisciplinary roundtables, collaborative project incubators, publication workshops, and youth/talent cultivation sessions.
We invite proposals for 20-minute presentations for concurrent breakout sessions organized around thematic tracks (see below). If your research does not fit neatly within these categories, you are still encouraged to submit a proposal. New tracks may be developed in response to submissions. Please select “Other” if unsure which track best applies.
In addition to paper presentations, the conference includes collaborative breakout sessions designed to support project development and collective research and publishing. These sessions—Project Incubation and Publications Hub—are oriented toward emerging ideas, shared initiatives, and future collaborations, rather than finished papers. We invite one-page proposals outlining a project or publication idea that is open to participation from others at the conference. These proposals should be submitted using the same online submission form and, if accepted, will serve as the organizing focus for collaborative breakout discussions.