I’m coordinator of Semiofest’s series of informal online “sessions.” Conceived of at the height of the Covid pandemic, these events are intended not only to share best practices among, but to nurture collegiality and friendship within the global semio community.
Here’s a complete list of Semiofest Sessions since the first (in April 2021):
2025
MEDICAL SEMIOTICS (1/25). The art of medical diagnosis (known in Greek antiquity as techne semeiotike) shares a long history with semiotics. Today, medical professionals increasingly recognize that the molecules, enzymes, and alkaloids with which we come in contact initiate sequences of semiotic transformations in our bodies at macro-, meso-, and micro-scales. Also, medicine is more than chemistry: How a society regards medicine, health, and disease is itself influenced by semiotic codes. Yogi Hendlin (Netherlands) has invited Ramona Lyons (USA) and John Tredinnick-Rowe (England) to discuss the current state — and future — of medical semiotics.
PEIRCE & PERCEPTION (2/25). Chris Barnham and Serdar Paktin.
SEMIOTICS & SPIRITUALITY (3/25). Adelina Vaca, host.
SEMIOTICS OF PLACE (4/25). Gemma Jones, host.
SEMIOTICS AFTER LIBERALISM (5/25). Louise Jolly and Al Deakin, hosts. Placeholder description: Today’s cultural and ideological shift to the right raises questions both theoretical and practical. How do progressive semioticians push back against extreme right-wing ideas and disinformation… while at the same time acknowledging the failures and shortcomings of the liberal hegemony, and listening to new voices?
ART SEMIOTICS (6/25). Aiyana Gunjan, host. Placeholder description: Art offers a profound and rich vehicle for decoding the emotional landscape and symbolic layers of a culture. The session will delve into how art, viewed through the lens of semiotics, can deliver rich cultural insights and offer inspiration and insights for branding.
GENDER/CHANGE SEMIOTICS (7/25). Gabriela Pedranti, host. Placeholder description: Semiotics offers powerful tools for understanding concepts such as gender and identity, yet today’s evolving social landscape challenges us to rethink their meanings. How are gender identities semiotically expressed in a world shaped by cultural shifts, evolving norms, and media/brand representations? And how can we navigate these complexities while amplifying diverse voices and challenging outdated frameworks?
NARRATIVE SEMIOTICS (9/25). Serdar Paktin, host. Placeholder description: Brands, organizations, countries, and political movements understand that narrative (story telling) is a powerful way to move us toward the future we want, by challenging the dominant discourse with an appealing alternative. Via paying close attention to the codes, signs, and symbols of successful narratives, can semioticians help the right stories win out?
MYTHICAL SEMIOTICS (10/25). Christo Kaftandjiev, host. Placeholder description: “I do not aim to show how men think in myths,” claimed Lévi-Strauss, “but how myths think in men, unbeknownst to them.” Christo Kaftandjiev proposes to invite several commercial semioticians interested in mythology to explore how myths of new beginnings, transition, heroism, totemism, and so forth play an influential role in pop culture and brand communications.
DOING SEMIOTICS IN ASIA (11/25). Coco Wu, host. Placeholder description: How do clients react differently in Asia and how does that change the implication of semiotics? How does Eastern Asian philosophy/ideology impact the RDE, e.g. time is circular, not linear? Tensions between local insights vs global strategy, how do we not compromise on the quality of the localness but also convince wider audiences?
& more to come
2024
SEMIOTICS & CINEMA (1/24). Semioticians have long been fascinated with cinema. From Barthes’ analysis of “Roman-ness” in Hollywood epics to commercial semioticians’ deployment of movie scenes to help clients understand aspects of contemporary culture, we can’t stop decoding what materializes on the silver screen. The participants in this session shared their enthusiasm for movies — and for movie analysis. Ramona Lyons (USA), Adelina Vaca (Mexico). Host: Gabriela Pedranti (Spain).
SEMIOTICS & MUSIC (2/24). In practical visual semiotics we generally first identify a denotation and then seek to identify and understand its connotation. Musical semiotics, however, is the opposite: it’s easy, even intuitive, to identify a musical connotation, but then trying to identify the denotative level is very difficult. How then are we to understand how music communicates? How might synesthesia play into it? Our panelists discussed all. Mariane Cara (Brazil), William Liu (China). Host: Charles Leech (Canada).
SEMIOTICS & ETHICS (3/24). Three applied semioticians explored the rarely discussed ethical implications of semiotics work — especially in the context of sustainability, health, and the impact of technology on information manipulation. Drawing on their own experiences, our guests covered topics such as diversity, identity representations, biosemiotics, mental health, and the broader ethical landscape of contemporary society. The goal is not so much to provide answers as to provoke conversation. Yogi Hendlin (Netherlands), Max Matus (Mexico), Clio Meurer (Brazil). Host: Lucia Laurent-Neva (England).
SEMIOTICS & POLITICS (4/24). As semioticians, we are valued not only for our expertise but our objectivity. In a world (and branding landscape) becoming more ideologically polarised, how can applied semiotics meaningfully engage with political issues? In this session, three experienced semioticians shared their perspectives on election-campaign communications, how brands mediate nationhood, and how activists can make use of cultural-insights work. Roman Esqueda (Mexico), Anastasia Karklina Gabriel (USA), Raphael Llorca (France). Host: Chris Arning.
LIMINALITY POST-PORTO I (6/24). The theme of Semiofest Porto, in May, was LIMINALITY. The conference was a great success… but we all wanted more! So Sónia Marques (Portugal) has invited Jerry Mathew (India), Alice Sweitzer (Germany/USA), and Shion Yokoo (Estonia) to chat with us about: Bridging Cyber Liminality and Ancient Wisdom, The Semiotics of Protest and Demonstration in Berlin’s Consumer Culture, and Liminality and Theatricality in Performances. This is the first of two liminality-themed post-Porto sessions.
LIMINALITY POST-PORTO II (7/24). The theme of Semiofest Porto, in May, was LIMINALITY. The conference was a great success… but we all wanted more! So Susanna Fránek (USA) has invited Christo Kaftandjiev (Bulgaria), Ashley Mauritzen (UK), and Marie Lena Tupot (USA) to chat with us about: Heroic Myths of Transition in Mass and Marketing Comms, The Crisis of Western Masculinity, and Gender as the Epitome of Liminality. This is the second of two liminality-themed post-Porto sessions.
FICTIONAL DECODERS (9/24). Encountering a talented “decoder” in a work of fiction is entertaining, and for semioticians it can also prove inspiring. Josh Glenn invited Becks Collins (UK), Whitney Dunlap-Fowler (USA), Eugene Gorny (Thailand), Rachel Lawes (UK), Chirag Mediratta (India), and Antje Weißenborn (Germany) to discuss a few favorite decoders from literature, movies, TV shows, and anime too!
ON COLOUR (10/24). We’ve invited colour experts and theorists from outside our own discipline to discuss how colours are understood, classified, and employed. Alexandra Loske (UK), Pete Thomas (UK), and James Quail (UK) shared insights on how colour systems reflect evolving social and cultural dynamics; how the ‘materiality’ of colour connects with broader historical contexts and design practices; the cultural biases and commercial interests involved in colour naming; and more. Host: Lucia Laurent-Neva.
JURI LOTMAN (11/24). When it comes to making sense of our contemporary moment, the theorizing of the University of Tartu’s Juri Lotman (1922–1993) remains highly relevant. Session host Maarja Ojamaa (Estonia) has invited Max Matus (Mexico), Maria Papanthymou (Greece), and Auli Viidalepp (Estomia) to discuss how Lotman’s key concepts — including the “semiosphere,” cultural “unpredictability,” and the “growth of meaning” — can inform applied semiotic work around branding, public education, and artificial intelligence.
COMMUTATION TEST (12/24). When we swap out a marketing campaign or brand’s signifiers for close alternatives, which signifiers are revealed to be meaningful… and which meaningless? L’udmila Lacková Bennett (Czechia) has invited semioticians from various fields to discuss the “commutation test,” an overlooked methodology from structural semiology that could prove a useful tool for commercial semiotics. Tatiana Jaramillo (Italy), Brian Khumalo (South Africa / USA), Alec Kozicki (Estonia), Nicola Zengiaro (Italy).
2023
SEMIOTICS OF SUSTAINABILITY (3/23). We’ve invited applied semioticians from Argentina, China, and France to help us perceive “sustainability” through various different lenses… and also to discuss context-appropriate future strategies. Ximena Tobi (Argentina), Samuel Grange (France), William Liu (China). Host: Lucia Laurent-Neva.
BIOSEMIOTICS: WHAT’S NEXT? (4/23). Proceeding from the premise that semiosis is intrinsic to all living nature, biosemiotics practitioners have developed a holistic and integrated understanding that radically challenges — and can also reboot and revitalize — the way that we applied semioticans think about and practice our craft. This session’s participants are deeply immersed in, and imaginatively engaged with this still-emerging field. Paul Cobley (UK), Natasha Delliston (UK), Yogi Hendlin (Netherlands). Host: Malcolm Evans (Wales).
UMBERTO ECO (5/23). Our panelists covered how they first came across the great Italian semiotician Umberto Eco, how he inspired them, the key ideas and tools that they use of his, and his legacy: what he can continue to tell us about today’s semiotic realities. Kristian Bankov (Bulgaria), Giulia Ceriani (Italy), Carlos A. Scolari (Spain), Alfredo Troncoso (Mexico).
AI & SEMIOTICS (6/23). Some commercial semioticians have for years deployed AI tools to help make sense of data, while others have resisted doing so. We’ve gathered a panel of experts to discuss questions like: Is AI-generated “meaning”… meaningful? And: What are the potential upsides and downsides of incorporating AI into our methodologies? Dario Compagno (France), Kay O’Halloran (UK), Tim Stock (USA). Host: Hamsini Shivakumar.
READING CULTURE: NEW METHODS (7/23). Sociologists and anthropologists are recognized for their ability to identify and analyze complex cultural norms and forms. But when it comes to culture, Semioticians are suspected (unfairly or not) of relying on analytical frameworks dating to the 1960s. We’ve convened a show-and-tell session in which three commercial semioticians shared new semiotics-driven methodologies they’ve developed for “reading” culture. Mariane Cara (Brazil), Josh Glenn (USA), Hamsini Shivakumar (India). Host: Hamsini.
BODY SEMIOTICS (9/23). Recent innovations in biosemiotics and the intersection between semiotics and cognition have shown how we need to pay attention to meaning that is literally incarnated in our bodies. Our speakers discussed memory in our bodies (and how this affects our thoughts, behaviour and language), the representation of bodies in consumer brand imagery, and finally, how we write meanings onto our bodies via the complex symbolism of tattoos. Jamin Pelkey (Canada), Audrey Bartis (France), Chris Martin (Canada). Host: Chris Arning.
SEMIOTICS & THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD (10/23). Does commercial semiotics lack scientific rigor? Is the approach too ad hoc? How should commercial semioticians counter perceived “expert” bias? What is the optimal balance to strike between “science” and “art”? Our panelists addressed such concerns — and along the way, bust a few myths about how semioticians explore cultural meaning. Roman Esquada (Mexico), Jamin Pelkey (Canada), Hamsini Shivakumar (India). Host: Vijay Parthasarathy.
ANALYZING THE UNANALYZABLE (11/23). Inspired by A.J. Greimas’s lyrical late text On Imperfection (1987), which seeks to describe the all-but-indescribable connection between our sensual relationship with the world and our drive to make sense of things, this session asks expert practitioners to share their tools and methodologies for analyzing ambiances, atmospheres, sensory experiences, aesthetics, and other seemingly subjective phenomena. Jean-François Augoyard (France), Tonino Griffero (Italy), Colette Sensier (UK). Host: Luca Marchetti.
2022
[I took 2022 off from coordinating sessions.]
SEMIOTICS & UX (2/22). Dominika Noworolska (Scotland), Sarah Johnson (Canada), Lucia Trezova (Czechia) discussed how they are involved in UX and how they’ve found semiotics helpful to enrich research opportunities.
FLASH DECODING (3/22). At Semiofest, we have semioticians of all levels jostling shoulders, which means we can learn from each other and our diverse approaches. We want to test the hypothesis that different perspectives can enrich the overall interpretation and we want to explore cultural differences too.
SEMIOTICS & BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS (4/22). Anna Clifford Mariani (UK), Asif Noorani, (UK) Shubho Roy (India), and Nick Southgate (England) discussed mutual overlaps and areas of synergy between the two disciplines. Host: Chris Arning.
10th ANNIVERSARY SEMIOFEST (6/22). An informal celebration of all things Semiofest. We are curious! What does Semiofest mean to you?
SEMIOTICS AS EXPERT TESTIMONY (9/22). Chris Arning (UK), Kaie Koppel (Estonia). How do you think would you approach analysis differently if you were to be hired as an expert witness? In this session, we are hearing from two semioticians who have both been in this position.
2021
SEMIOTIC SQUARE (4/21). Josh Glenn (USA) and Maria Papanthymou (Russia) discussed the uses of the so-called “semiotic square” in our practices — before inviting the attendees to share their own ideas.
ASK THE SEMIOTICIAN (5/21). Luca Marchetti (Italy/France), Gabriela Pedranti (Spain/LatAm), Charles Leech (Canada), and Vladimir Djurovic (China) responded to queries about client management, demonstrating the validity of semiotics, and more.
COVID CODES (6/21). Sónia Marques (Portugal), Seema Khanwalkar (India), Maciej Biedziński (Poland), Ximena Tobi (Argentina), and Wei Fen Lee (Singapore) spoke about their culture-specific contributions to Semiovox’s global COVID CODES study.
R/D/E (7/21). Al Deakin (England), Natasha Delliston (England), and Malcolm Evans (Wales) discussed new and improved ways for semiotic practitioners to deploy the Residual-Dominant-Emergent (RDE) framework.
FUTURING (8/21). Tim Stock (USA), Gemma Jones (England), Malex Salamanques (England), and Hamsini Shivakumar (India) shared their experiences in leveraging non-semiotic methodologies to help clients catch a glimpse of what the future might hold… and also to help shape that future.
BINARIES (9/21). Thierry Mortier (Switzerland), Nick Gadsby (England), and Chris Arning (England) shared their perspectives on the Saussurian notion that binary opposition is the means by which individual elements of a “semiosphere” have meaning.
HIGHS & LOWS OF SEMIOTIC PRACTICE (10/21). We dedicated a session to discussions of the following questions: How did you find your way to doing semiotics? What major challenge(s) do you struggle with as a semiotician? What advice would you give to young person about the highs and lows of an applied semiotics practice?
THINKING WITH OBJECTS (11/21). Sónia Marques (Portugal), Lucia Laurent-Neva (England), and Josh Glenn (USA) shared their approaches to analyzing objects in order to reveal hidden aspects of social reality.
C.S. PEIRCE (12/21). Mariane Cara (Brazil), Chris Barnham (England), and Hamsini Shivakumar (India) shared examples of how they’ve applied the pioneering US semiotician C.S. Peirce’s frameworks in their own practices.