On behalf of the Department of English and Cultural Studies, Dr. Shrimoyee Chattopadhyay organised a three-day lecture series that brought together eminent scholars from India and abroad to engage with evolving discourses in memory and trauma studies. The event, marked by rich intellectual exchange and interdisciplinary exploration, sought to examine how memory and trauma are theorised, represented, and interpreted across diverse contexts and cultural forms. By convening distinguished voices from multiple institutions, the series highlighted the department’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge research and fostering international collaboration.
The series opened with a session led by Dr. Avishek Parui and Dr. Merin Simi from IIT Madras, who spoke on “The Future of Memory Studies in India.” Their discussion mapped the emerging trajectories of memory studies within the Indian academic landscape, emphasising its growing interdisciplinary relevance. By situating memory studies at the intersections of literature, history, psychology, and cultural studies, they highlighted how the field is reshaping understandings of personal and collective identities. Both scholars underscored the importance of local contexts in developing theoretical frameworks, while also noting the global conversations that enrich this evolving discipline.
The second lecture featured Dr. Robin E. Field from King’s College, whose presentation titled “Listening to the Perpetrator’s Perspective: Reimagining the Trauma Victim-Survivor in Chang-rae Lee’s A Gesture Life” offered a fresh and provocative lens for engaging with trauma narratives. Dr. Field challenged conventional victim-centric readings of trauma fiction by foregrounding the complexities of perpetrators’ voices within literary texts. In re-examining A Gesture Life, she illuminated how trauma studies can benefit from moving beyond binary frameworks of victim and perpetrator to engage with more nuanced, ethically layered interpretations. Her lecture invited participants to critically reflect on questions of empathy, responsibility, and narrative representation in trauma literature.
The final day of the series featured Dr. Frederico Dinis from the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, who delivered a lecture on “Transmedial Autobiographies: Art-Based Research and the Ephemeral Materialities of Memory.” His presentation highlighted the possibilities of art-based research methodologies in memory studies, particularly in capturing the transient and often fragile nature of memory. Dr. Dinis emphasised how transmedial practices—combining visual arts, performance, and digital media—can preserve, reinterpret, and reframe personal and collective memory in innovative ways. His lecture underscored the potential of interdisciplinary approaches to expand the boundaries of memory studies beyond textual analysis, offering fresh avenues for both scholarship and creative practice.
Across the three days, the lecture series not only deepened participants’ engagement with theoretical and methodological concerns in memory and trauma studies but also stimulated vibrant dialogue among scholars, students, and faculty members. By foregrounding diverse perspectives—from Indian contexts to global case studies, from literary narratives to art-based practices—the series underscored the importance of cross-disciplinary conversations in shaping the future of the field.
In conclusion, the program reaffirmed the Department of English and Cultural Studies’ commitment to creating platforms for international academic exchange and advancing research excellence. The lecture series successfully fostered an environment of critical inquiry, encouraging participants to rethink established paradigms and explore new frontiers in memory and trauma studies.
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