Comparative Literature and Decoloniality

British Academy Conferences bring together scholars from around the world to present, discuss and consolidate new research in the humanities and social sciences.

This conference brings together scholars from around the world to revisit the intersection of comparative literature and colonialism to engage with the emerging worldwide 'decolonial turn' in the humanities and social sciences. How might decolonisation change comparative literature? How might thinking comparatively move us away from homogenization, or the reduction of one language or culture to the terms of another, lead us to alter some of the ways in which we think of decolonisation? Questioning comparative literature in relation to decoloniality allows for critical perspectives on language justice, imbalance in knowledge circulation and social and ecological injustice at the global level. This conference frames dialogue among comparatists at various stages of their careers, studying African, Asian, Latin American and other literatures.  It is a collaboration with The British Comparative Literature Association (BCLA) which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is supported by St John’s College, Oxford and Oxford Comparative Criticism and Translation.

Conference convenors

• Professor Mohamed-Salah Omri, University of Oxford
• Dr Paul Castro, University of Glasgow
• Dr Shanti Graheli, University of Glasgow
• Professor Fiona Macintosh, University of Oxford
• Dr Georgia Nasseh, University of Oxford
• Dr Josh Robinson, Cardiff University
• Professor Jakob Stougaard-Nielsen, University College London

Speakers

• Dr Anna Bernard, King's College London
• Professor Ruth Bush, University of Bristol
• Dr Paul Castro, University of Glasgow
• Dr Joseph Hankinson, University of Oxford
• Dr Nesreen Hussein, independent scholar
• Dr Adhira Mangalagiri, New York University
• Dr Sara Marzagora, King's College London
• Tinashe Mushakavanhu, Independent scholar
• Professor Mohamed-Salah Omri, University of Oxford
• Professor Francesca Orsini, School of Oriental and African Studies
• Dr Stephanie Rohner, University of Cambridge
• Dr Cristine Seveno, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
• Professor Shu-mei Shih, University of California, Los Angeles
• Professor Marchella Ward, Open University

Further information

Tickets to be released.

If you have any questions about this event please refer to our Events FAQs or email [email protected].

Image credit: With permissions of the artist: Mary Lum, St John’s Primer, 2022. Photograph by Stephen White & Co. St John's College, University of Oxford