Fri Sep 20 08:53:49 UTC 2024: ## Vulnerable Bodies: Exploring the Politics of Vulnerability in Literature and Culture

**Hyderabad, India –** The Department of Liberal Arts at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad will host a two-day conference, “Vulnerable Bodies in Literature and Culture,” from February 28th to March 1st, 2025. The event aims to examine the complex relationship between human vulnerability and cultural representation through a lens of critical discourse.

The conference, organized by Associate Professor Srirupa Chatterjee and Assistant Professor Anandita Pan, will feature prominent scholars like Pramod Nayar, Shilpa Phadke, Prathama Banerjee, and Navaneetha Mokkil. They will delve into the multifaceted nature of vulnerability, exploring how it manifests in literature, culture, and social discourse.

“The human body is a site of both vulnerability and resistance,” explains conference coordinator Srirupa Chatterjee. “We want to examine how the body is affected by power structures and how it can be a force for change.”

Discussions will address a range of topics including:

* **Caste and race-based discrimination and violence**
* **Violence against bodies in public spaces**
* **Discrimination against disabled bodies**
* **Violence and othering of queer bodies**
* **Hegemonic perceptions of body image and body shaming**
* **Issues of maternal bodies and ageing bodies**
* **Abuse within institutions like the home, school, and workplace**

The conference encourages scholars to critically analyze the role of vulnerability in contemporary discourse. While acknowledging the importance of empathy and solidarity, it also calls for examining the potential pitfalls of overly romanticizing vulnerability. The organizers emphasize the need to recognize how certain bodies are made more vulnerable than others due to systemic inequalities.

Abstracts of 300 to 350 words for a 20-minute presentation are invited from both academic professionals and young scholars. Interested participants can submit their abstract and a short bio by October 20th, 2024 to vulnerablebodies.conf@gmail.com. Further information on registration fees, travel, and accommodation will be provided to shortlisted participants.

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