symposium

Symposium is a term with several related meanings. In classical usage, a symposium (from Greek symposion, “drinking together”) was a structured social gathering in ancient Greece, held after a banquet. Participants reclined on couches, sipped wine, and engaged in conversation, music, poetry, or philosophical debate. The form often centered on a single host, a symposium leader, and it could feature toasts and performances. Notable literary references include Plato's dialogue The Symposium, which portrays a sequence of speakers presenting speeches on the nature of love within such a setting. In some city-states, participation was restricted by gender and status, reflecting the social norms of the era.

In modern usage, a symposium is a formal meeting or conference devoted to a specific subject, usually including multiple speakers and a discussion period. It is common in academia to organize a symposium around a theme, with invited experts delivering papers or lectures, followed by Q&A or panel discussion. Proceedings may be published as a collection, a special issue, or a proceedings volume.

Differences from a conference: symposia are typically smaller and more specialized, focused on scholarly discussion and exchange rather than broad dissemination of results. Within larger congresses, a symposium may be a dedicated session or track.

The term also appears in non-academic contexts to describe cultural or intellectual gatherings, but the central idea remains a focused exchange of ideas among participants.