Process Philosophy in a Time of Polycrisis: Science, Meaning, and Civilization
July 17–20, 2026 | Zhuhai, China & Online
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 from more than 35 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.
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.
Registration
Registration is being facilitated by our partners at Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU). Please use the link below to continue to their website to register.
All presenters must confirm their participaetion by registering for the conference. The registration deadline for accepted presenters is April 16, 2026.
In-Person Registration Fee: RMB 700 (~$100 USD)
Online & Student Registration Fee: RMB 350 (~$50 USD)
Note: The registration form may be completed in either English or Chinese. Use the language buttons on the top right of the registration page to switch to your preferred language.
After you have submitted your personal information, you will be redirected to the payment form. Here you have two options: Online Pay (via WeChat Pay or Alipay) or Overseas Pay (via credit or debit card). Once your payment has been processed your registration is confirmed!
Logistics
Hybrid Format
The conference will be conducted in a hybrid format, with online and in-person participation options. Please indicate your participation preference when submitting your abstract.
Translation
Simultaneous translation will be provided in both English and Chinese. Presentations can be given in either language. Abstract can be submitted in either language.
Housing & Meals
In-person presenters will be provided on-campus accommodations in BNBU dormitories at no cost and meals will likewise be covered. If presenters instead prefer to secure their own accommodations in the area, they may do so at their own expense.
International Flights & Travel
Presenters are responsible for their own flight costs. We recommend international participants fly into Hong Kong International Airport (which is about a 90 minute drive from campus). A shuttle from Hong Kong to Zhuhai will be provided.
Conference Tracks
Whitehead’s Philosophy and the Metaphysics of Becoming
This track is dedicated to the rigorous and creative study of Whitehead’s philosophical system as a living tradition of speculative thought. Participants are invited to engage the central concepts, methods, and logical structure of process philosophy. We welcome papers that refine interpretations of key categories, uncover neglected dimensions of Whitehead’s corpus, or advance constructive developments in light of contemporary philosophy and science. Comparative reflections placing process metaphysics in dialogue with other philosophical traditions are also encouraged. The aim is to deepen both the systematic coherence and the global relevance of Whiteheadian philosophy today.
AI, Digital Worlds, and Human Futures
Artificial intelligence and digital systems are transforming what it means to be human. This track explores the philosophical, ethical, and cultural implications of emerging technologies—from automation and algorithmic governance to digital creativity, consciousness, and relationality. Participants are invited to reflect on how technology reshapes identity, community, and meaning, and to envision pathways toward humane, sustainable, and innovation-driven forms of life in the digital age that contribute to building a community of shared future for humankind.
The Nature of Life and Living Systems
What does it mean to live? This track explores the philosophical, scientific, and spiritual dimensions of life as process. Participants are invited to examine the boundaries—if any—between the living and the nonliving, considering how organization, self-creation, and emergence shape our understanding of life and existence. We welcome contributions in biophilosophy, systems theory, and evolutionary dynamics, as well as reflections on the continuity between life, experience, and creativity as expressions of a living cosmos and the harmony between humanity and nature.
Relational Cosmology, Quantum Foundations, and the Structure of Existence
Whitehead’s speculative metaphysics offers a framework for understanding reality as an interconnected field of dynamic relations. This track invites contributions in metaphysics, philosophy of science, cosmology, and theology that deepen or challenge process perspectives on the ultimate structure of existence—from quantum foundations and relational ontology to creativity, potentiality, and the metaphysical unity of the world. We welcome reflections that advance dialogue between science and philosophy in the spirit of exploring new paradigms for human knowledge and civilization.
The Meaning Crisis, Mental Health, and Human Flourishing
Across cultures, people face growing anxiety, alienation, and loss of meaning. This track explores how process philosophy, psychology, and spirituality can illuminate the roots of the modern meaning crisis and pathways toward well-being and wholeness. We invite contributions on consciousness, values, religion, therapy, and social transformation that seek to renew purpose, connection, and hope in a rapidly changing world. Cross-cultural perspectives on spiritual well-being and whole-person harmony are especially encouraged.
Religion, Ethics, and Moral Imagination
Relational and process perspectives challenge us to rethink moral life and spiritual creativity. This track invites comparative, constructive, and applied reflections on ethics, religion, and value—whether in dialogue with Whitehead, diverse traditions, or contemporary global challenges. Possible topics include moral imagination, compassion, virtue, and the cultivation of inclusive and life-affirming communities, contributing to the renewal of moral culture and the building of a shared spiritual home for humanity.
Chinese Thought, Marxism, and the Second Integration
This track focuses on the creative dialogue between process philosophy and Chinese intellectual traditions—especially Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and Marxism. Participants are invited to explore the Second Integration (第二次结合): the integration of traditional Chinese culture with Marxist and modern philosophical insights. We welcome contributions that examine how process-relational thinking can contribute to China’s path of modernization, moral cultivation, and ecological civilization, and how Chinese philosophy can, in turn, enrich global process thought and the building of a community of shared future for humankind.
Aesthetics, Art, and Creative Communication
For Whitehead, beauty is not a luxury but the telos of the universe. This track explores art, literature, music, film, architecture, and media as vital modes of creative communication and cultural transformation. We welcome both theoretical and practical engagements that connect artistic expression, storytelling, and digital culture with ecological awareness, social imagination, and the aesthetic dimensions of ecological civilization.
Education and Whole-Person Development
Education shapes the future of civilization. This track examines how process and relational approaches to learning can nurture wisdom, creativity, and compassion. We welcome contributions on curriculum innovation, holistic pedagogy, moral and spiritual education, and new models of human development suited to a world in transition. Reflections that contribute to high-quality, innovation-driven education for ecological and moral civilization are especially welcome.
Climate Change, Systems Collapse, and Ecological Civilization
The 21st century faces converging ecological, economic, and existential crises. This track invites integrative reflections on the causes and implications of the planetary polycrisis, as well as the imaginative possibilities of renewal. We welcome contributions in sustainability science, environmental ethics, cosmology, and visions of ecological civilization and resilience as part of global cooperation toward a community of shared future for humankind.
Politics, Law, and Community for the Common Good
The global polycrisis is also a crisis of governance, trust, and belonging. This track explores how relational and process perspectives can reimagine politics, power, and community life. We welcome contributions on democracy, governance, justice, and the cultivation of participatory, compassionate, and resilient communities that foster social harmony and global cooperation in the pursuit of the common good.
Business, Economics, and Innovation in the Transition to a Sustainable Future
Innovation will play a decisive role in shaping the future of civilization. This track explores how process-relational and ethical approaches can guide business, leadership, and technological creativity toward high-quality development and sustainability. We welcome contributions on regenerative enterprise, organizational transformation, and the moral and spiritual purpose of innovation as part of the global movement toward ecological and social renewal.
Collaborative Block A: Project Incubation
The Project Incubation block is a collaborative breakout session designed to help participants develop emerging research or practice-oriented projects with the potential to continue beyond the conference. Rather than presenting finished work, proposers are invited to submit early-stage project ideas, especially those envisioned as collaborative grant proposals, research networks, educational initiatives, or applied projects. Selected proposals will anchor breakout rooms in which proposers briefly introduce their idea, followed by structured discussion focused on refining the project, identifying collaborators, and exploring funding or institutional pathways. Submissions should describe the project concept, its significance, and how others could meaningfully participate.
Collaborative Block B: Publications Hub
The Publications Hub is a collaborative breakout session devoted to the development of shared publication projects, including edited volumes, special journal issues, translation projects, or other collective publishing initiatives. Proposers are invited to submit ideas for collaborative publications that are actively seeking contributors, co-editors, or translators, or that would benefit from collective shaping and feedback. Selected proposals will form the basis of breakout discussions in which participants explore thematic coherence, potential contributors, publishing venues, timelines, and next steps. Submissions should clearly outline the proposed publication concept, its relevance to process philosophy or the conference theme, and the forms of collaboration being invited.
Schedule
A draft schedule for the 14th International Whitehead Conference is now available!
Young Scholars Award
The Board of the International Process Network (IPN) is pleased to announce a Call for Papers for the Young Scholars Award. Two Young Scholars Awards will be granted for the 14th International Whitehead Conference.
Eligible applicants are scholars under the age of 35 at the time of submission. For consideration, Young Scholars must submit a copy of their complete conference paper to IPN by April 1, 2026.
To apply, please submit an abstract to present in-person at BNBU via the submission portal below. IPN will follow-up with Young Scholars to request the submission of their full paper for anonymous review. Papers will be judged based on the criteria below to determine recipients of the two Young Scholars Awards.
Each award includes:
- Round-trip airfare to China,
- Waived conference registration for the 14th International Whitehead Conference, and
- Publication of the winning paper(s) in one of several academic outlets.
Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us.
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to the conference theme.
- Depth of understanding of the process philosophy or philosopher employed.
- Originality and novelty of the application.
- Conceptual and scholarly accuracy.
- Contribution to new knowledge in the field.
Key Dates
Submission Deadline
February 27, 2026
Notification of Acceptance
March 15, 2026
Conference Dates
July 17–20, 2026
Submissions
The submission deadline has passed and we are no longer accepting abstracts.
Thank you for your interest! You are invited to register to attend the conference either in-person at BNBU or virtually.
For inquiries, please contact us.
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