INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “VECTORS”
“Vectors” is a public intellectual project created by the Shaninka community. Every year we organise an International academic conference for students, PhD candidates, lecturers and independent researchers dedicated to pressing issues in the social sciences and humanities.
“Vectors” seeks to rethink traditional formats of interaction between students and experts, thereby strengthening the professional identity of young researchers. Guided by the values of equitable discussion, cross-disciplinary dialogue and openness to alternative viewpoints, we create a space for horizontal scholarly communication that opens classical academia to new knowledge and practices. We aim to produce scholarship that not only looks into the future but actively shapes it.
“Vectors” seeks to rethink traditional formats of interaction between students and experts, thereby strengthening the professional identity of young researchers. Guided by the values of equitable discussion, cross-disciplinary dialogue and openness to alternative viewpoints, we create a space for horizontal scholarly communication that opens classical academia to new knowledge and practices. We aim to produce scholarship that not only looks into the future but actively shapes it.
Our principles
- OpennessIn the global academic community there is no such thing as a “young scholar” — scientific communication is always conducted on equal terms. We use the phrase “youth conference” only to highlight the horizontal nature of our interactions and to pay a small tribute to tradition, not as a limitation or a marker of the quality of submissions.
- Horizontal CommunicationThe greatest value of any conference is the multilateral, engaged feedback from peers. That is why we welcome open, professional and ethical scholarly debate and do everything possible to make it happen.
- Co-Participation“Vectors” is created by students and for students. It is they who define the thematic scope and programmatic direction. We invite experts to evaluate the depth of the work and offer advice, but the right — and the responsibility — to determine the content remains with the section organisers.
- CollaborationThe Organising Committee is not limited to Shaninka representatives. We strive to ensure that any scholar from any university who shares our values and principles can propose their own section or join the team of volunteers on equal terms.
- EthicsWe uphold the principles of intellectual honesty and the ethics of scholarly communication. Every participant takes full responsibility for the results of their research regardless of experience or status, and guarantees that any feedback they give is constructive and remains strictly within the bounds of academic discourse.
- InterdisciplinarityWe bring together researchers from different disciplines and problem fields within the social sciences and humanities. Through dialogue between disciplines, approaches and paradigms we foster mutual enrichment, encourage academic intersections and the use of tools from a wide range of research traditions.
- Critical ThinkingWe strive to overcome prejudices and rigidity both within individual disciplines and in academic discourse itself. Our task is to clearly formulate the problems that section organisers are addressing so that we can find new, multifaceted answers to questions that are already familiar yet remain urgent.
- OpennessIn global academia, the term “young scholar” does not exist—academic communication is always conducted on equal terms. We use the phrase “youth conference” only to emphasize the horizontal nature of interactions and to acknowledge tradition, rather than as a limitation or an indication of the level of work.
- Horizontal CommunicationThe core value of researcher gatherings in a conference format is multifaceted and engaged peer feedback. Therefore, we encourage open, professional, and ethical academic discussions and strive to create the conditions that make them possible.
- Co-ParticipationVectors is created by students and primarily for students— they define the thematic focus and shape the program. Experts are involved to assess the depth of topics and provide valuable guidance, but the responsibility for content decisions remains with the panel organizers.
- CollaborationThe conference organizing committee is not limited to members of Shaninka. We aim to ensure that anyone from any university who shares our values and principles can propose a panel or join the team on equal terms.
- EthicsWe adhere to the principles of intellectual integrity and ethical academic communication. Every participant takes full responsibility for their research outcomes, regardless of experience or status, and commits to providing constructive feedback strictly within the framework of academic discussion.
- InterdisciplinarityWe bring together scholars from diverse fields within the social sciences and humanities, fostering their mutual enrichment through cross-disciplinary dialogue. We encourage academic intersections and the application of a wide range of research methodologies.
- Critical ThinkingWe strive to overcome biases and rigidity, both within specific disciplines and in academic discourse as a whole. Our goal is to clearly articulate key research questions that panel organizers engage with, in order to discover new and multidimensional answers to longstanding but still relevant issues.
Organizing council:
Organizing council:
Partners
