The 42nd Annual Conference on West Indian Literature was centered around the theme “Are we better than we think we are?” Alternative Identities and Technologies” will be held at the University of the West Indies in St. Louis from October 9th to 12th, 2024. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
Description (by organizer): Our theme this year honors the work of Professor Edward Baugh. Through more than 50 years of creative work and scholarship, he has given us the opportunity to reflect on ourselves as Caribbean peoples and has given us testimony to our resilience and spirit. The conference title quote is from his poem “It was the Singing,” beloved for its authentic Caribbean voice and rhythm that uplifts readers and fills them with a sense of security and anticipation. His work demonstrates his lifelong commitment to “make us better than we think.”
The promise conveyed in this poem is also implicit in the subtheme “Alternative Identities and Technologies,” which anticipates the transformation we seek, one that reflects the protean nature of Caribbean identity. Today, global interactions and exchanges encourage a continuous reassessment of our place in the world and ourselves in our own spaces. Controversial global issues such as immigration, populism, nationalism, inclusivity, relationships with the environment, sexual citizenship, comprehensive sex education, social justice, indigenous rights and human rights in general It resonates with us across the maritime diaspora. Moreover, within these places/spaces, literary works and academic criticisms that deal with LGBTQIA+ themes take place. Social issues, policies, and debates surrounding gender diversity. Also, the inclusion of non-binary/non-gender/gender-neutral pronouns when affirming one’s gender identity is an example that reflects our changing and expanding views in the Caribbean, but it also Alternative views are variously rejected, accepted, or tolerated because of our foreignness. .
The definition and formation of Caribbean identity is further influenced by the transformative opportunities presented by existing and emerging technologies. The evolution of Caribbean identity occurs between the algorithmic codes and frequencies that give life to digital communities, virtual assistants, artificial intelligence software, virtual reality, and brain-computer interfaces within the current technoscape. But as many ways in which these technologies provide the means to create and (re)invent positive alternative identities are delineated by algorithmic bias and digital exclusion and are considered technological othering. Create an alternate identity. Addressing the questions embedded in this year’s conference theme therefore includes not only considering the positive ways in which technology enables the creation and dissemination of Caribbean identities, but also ensuring that the possibilities for alternative identities are It also includes the necessary measures that need to be taken into account to ensure that they are not lost. Harmful to their current symptoms.
As we enter this year’s 40th annual conference, we are exploring how much we have improved. Beau’s quote allows us to think about the diverse and ongoing means and ways in which we continue to transform our existence as peoples of the Caribbean and diaspora.
For more information, see https://caribbean.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2024/04/29/cfp-42nd-annual-conference-on-west-indian-literature/
Or contact Dr. Geraldine Skeete at Geraldine.Skeete@sta.uwi.edu or Dr. Karen Sanderson-Cole at Karen.Sanderson-Cole@sta.uwi.edu.
See also https://westindianlitconference.com/programme/
