MELANGE 2023

Beyond Boundaries: Reading Literature and Culture in a Posthuman Society

Melange 2023 was held in collaboration with The Department of English, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK which aimed at exploring, examining, and articulating posthuman concerns. The conference engaged critically with the eroding boundaries between humans and other species, as well as the resulting precarity and possible degradation or enhancement of humans. Themes and concepts such as ‘Transhumanism’, ‘Critical Humanism’, ‘Organ Harvesting’, ‘Cloning’, ‘Ectogenesis’, ‘Extraterrestrial intervention’, ‘Zombie invasion’, ‘anti-utopian’, and so forth were explored to understand, engage, and contest the posthuman world.

The conference comprised a series of thought-provoking sessions and panels that covered a wide range of topics related to the theme. Scholars presented research papers, case studies, and projects, addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by a posthuman society. The conference also featured distinguished keynote speakers who shared their insights on the conference theme. Their presentations sparked engaging discussions and set the tone for an intellectually stimulating event 

We held a masterclass on January 16, 2023, as part of the International Conference. It was titled "Reading Literature and Culture in a Posthuman Society" and lasted four hours. The purpose of the masterclass was to provide participants with additional knowledge about posthumanism and the connection between literature and culture in posthumanist societies.  On February 11, 2023, a workshop was held in response, however it did not strictly follow posthumanism. By engaging with various literary and artistic mediums, participants disseminated the information to a wide range of people. Ultimately, the conference took place on March 30, 2023, featuring panel discussions, paper and poster presentations with audio-visual and creative writing.