On Signs and Signifiers

Target audience

PhD students working on the concept of language in philosophy, science and psychoanalysis. 

Organizing and scientific committee

Dr. Kobe Keymeulen (UGent), Drs. Iben Bollaert (UGent); prof. Gertrudis Van de Vijver (UGent), prof. Ariane Bazan (Université de Lorraine)

Abstract

This interdisciplinary course must be seen in collaboration with another Doctoral Schools titled ‘What is it that signifiers do?’. Driven by the shared question of how language operates beyond its orthodox function of meaning and representation, it serves as a philosophical prelude in which PhD students engage with prof. Adrian Johnston, a leading scholar working at the intersection of philosophy, science and psychoanalysis. The course offers PhD students a bottom-up opportunity to engage directly with him, as well as a forum in which they can present and discuss their own research. 

Objectives

• To give PhD students the opportunity to engage directly with prof. Adrian Johnston’s work
• to provide them with the opportunity to present and discuss their own research with prof. Johnston
• to bring together PhD students and research groups working on the intersection of philosophy, psychoanalysis, and science around the nature of signs and signifiers
• to give various reading groups on these topics the opportunity to present their insights in the presence of prof. Johnston and, more generally
• to contribute to the underexplored ways in which Sigmund Freud’s and Jacques Lacan’s concepts of signs and signifiers relate to contemporary philosophical and scientific issues.

This course would continue the ongoing efforts by dr. Keymeulen and prof. Van de Vijver to integrate Ghent University in the international community of  philosophers engaging with psychoanalysis on an interdisciplinary level. Following similar events organised with other leading thinkers, such as Slavoj Žižek (Ljubljana), Mladen Dolar (Ljubljana), Alenka Zupančič (ZRC SAZU) and Lorenzo Chiesa (Newcastle), we aim to forge strong research ties with these other institutions, providing new research opportunities for current and future PhD students at Ghent University.

Dates and venue

09 December + 10 December 2026
Campus Blandijn (Universiteit Gent)

Programme

Registration

• Follow this link for the registration and waiting list.
• Cancellation of your registration can only be performed by sending an email to doctoralschools@ugent.be.

• The no show policy applies.

Registration fee

Free of charge for Doctoral School members.

Number of participants

Maximum 30

Language

English

Training method

In the mornings, there is an ‘Octavian discussion’ led by Adrian Johnston. An Octavian discussion is an interactive method designed to collectively discuss a certain text in a group. More specifically, we give a close reading of Lacan’s text La chose Freudienne together with prof. Johnston’s commentary thereon in his book Irrepressible Truth: On Lacan’s ‘The Freudian Thing’. On Wednesday afternoon, we organize poster presentations in which different groups of researchers can present the outcome of the various readings groups they had in the last year on these topics. On Thursday afternoon, different discussions are organized in which PhD students can present their research on the topic of language in psychoanalysis, philosophy and science together with prof. Johnston. We end with a traditional lecture by Adrian Johnston himself on his current research. 

Evaluation method

 All participants are evaluated on the basis of their attendance and participation in the Octavian discussions, the poster presentations and discussions on the research of the PhD students. 

After successful participation, the Doctoral School Office will add this course to your curriculum of the Doctoral Training Programme in Oasis. Please note that this can take up to one to two months after completion of the course.