coloques

Coloques, more commonly spelled colloques in French and used in some English contexts, refer to scholarly meetings designed for the exchange of ideas on specific topics. The term derives from the French word colloque, itself from the Latin colloquium, meaning a conversation or dialogue. In English, related terms such as colloquium or colloquia are often used, but colloques remains a recognized variant in academic settings.

Colloques are typically smaller and more focused than large conferences, though sizes and formats vary. They may last from a few hours to several days and usually feature a program of presentations, invited talks, participant-led discussions, and sometimes poster sessions or roundtables. Submissions are often invited through a call for papers, with some events selecting presenters via peer review. Proceedings may be published as a standalone volume, a special issue, or an online repository, depending on the hosting organization.

Organizers of colloques are commonly universities, research centers, scholarly societies, or professional associations. The primary aims are to scrutinize a narrow topic in depth, disseminate new findings, and foster professional networking and collaboration. While the concept overlaps with related formats such as seminars, symposiums, and conferences, colloques are generally characterized by their specific focus, interactive discussion format, and emphasis on scholarly dialogue rather than broad program breadth.

Colloques span disciplines such as philosophy, linguistics, mathematics, physics, social sciences, and humanities. They play a role in shaping research agendas, refining ideas through critique, and contributing to the scholarly record through published proceedings or collected essays.