The Department of English, School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad (UoH) organized a one-day National Research Scholars’ Seminar on “English in India: Emerging Trends” on February 17, 2017 as part of the DSA-II programme, the seminar was the first of its kind at the department.
The seminar began with a keynote address by Professor Dilip K. Das, Department of Cultural Studies, English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) titled “The Leper’s Truth: Interdisciplinary Critique and English Studies”. Professor Das’ emphasis on close critical readings and the importance of interdisciplinary study set the tone for the papers to follow. Loosely grouped into four sessions, and with a total of seventeen papers presented by research scholars from around the country, the seminar dealt with a wide range of theoretical approaches, from feminism to translation studies and disability studies, and dealing with literary works from a variety of genres and forms: graphic novels and drama, poetry, prose, history, and mythology.
Professor M. Sridhar’s valedictory talk on “The Not-So-Emerging Trends: The Road Not Taken” concluded the seminar on a reflective note, arguing for a more inclusive future for English Studies that would continue to expand the scope of the discipline.