Tampere University, Finland
November 19-20, 2026
About the conference
Influence, Manipulation & Seduction 3: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Persuasive Language
How do we persuade someone to act against their initial intentions? How do we reshape what they think about an issue?
Language is our most powerful tool for influence. We use it to convince, persuade, cajole, and coax, often without even realizing it. Words mold opinions, shift attitudes, and guide behavior. This symposium places the persuasive power of language at its very core.
Linguists have traditionally examined the workings of persuasive language in institutionalized discourses, drawing on methodological approaches such as Critical Discourse Analysis. As genres inherently characterized by persuasion, it is not surprising then that advertising and politics have enjoyed the limelight of scholarly attention here; investigations of the features of persuasive language in TV, radio, and print advertisements as well as political speeches, interviews, and press conferences abound. In an era characterised by information saturation and the rapid evolution of digital communication platforms, the study of persuasive language is undergoing profound developments. These relate, for example, to its scope, data diversity and interconnectedness with local and/or global (societal) issues.
This symposium aims to spark dialogue and share insights on language and persuasion across diverse methodological and disciplinary approaches.
After two successful virtual conferences (in 2020 and 2022), Influence, Manipulation & Seduction 3: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Persuasive Language will take place on site at Tampere University, Finland.
Organising committee:
persuasionconf@gmail.com
Daria Dayter (Tampere University)
Dominika Beneš Kováčová (Masaryk University Brno)
Sofia Rüdiger (Freie Universität Berlin)
