CALL FOR PAPERS

International Conference on Climate Change and Cultural Representations: Australian and Indian Perspectives

To be organised by Centre for Australian Studies, The University of Burdwan in association with Australian Consulate-General, Kolkata

In the context of the ongoing bilateral dialogues between Australia and India, the two nations' engagement with climate change has become an interesting site for scrutiny. In fact, the Joint Statement issued by the Prime Ministers of Australia and India after the first in-person India-Australia annual summit in March, 2023 was highly encouraging, particularly for the green activists. The second section of the Joint Statement is titled “Climate, energy, science, technology and research cooperation.” It has six separate points, each of which is immensely important for both the countries to combat climate change and its deadening impacts. The second of these six points reads: “Leaders underscored their commitment to encouraging nationally appropriate actions to reduce emissions to address climate change, energy security and job creation, and continuing international collaboration, including through the Quad, the G20, the UNFCCC and International Solar Alliance." The statement emphasized the contribution of sustainable consumption and production, and resource-efficient, circular economies towards combating climate change. In this context, both the countries noted the importance of mindful consumption, more sustainable lifestyles and reducing waste. The Joint Statement, thus, clearly shows that Australia and India are keen to take nationally appropriate actions to reduce emissions other than continuing international collaboration to fight climate change. Such a stance seems to be a much-needed one as sometimes the environmental activists focus either only on national or on international issues, by pitting the local against the global. The joint statement shows a remarkable balance in this regard to underline climate change both as a national/local as well as an international/global problem.

In view of this, this conference will attempt to explore different cultural representations of both the countries to examine their negotiations with climate change. Though it will primarily focus on contemporary Australian and Indian cultural representations, it will not restrict itself only to the present and fall back upon the past to find out ways to meaningfully negotiate sustainable development in future.

Conference Sub-themes

• Australian Strategies for Climate Action
• Indian Strategies for Climate Action
• Australian Approaches to Green Economy
• Indian Approaches to Green Economy
• Climate Change: Collaborative (Australian-Indian) Measures
• Sectoral Impacts of Climate Change (Agriculture, Water, Health, Forests) in Australia and India
• Climate Finance in Australia and India
• Clean Energy Technologies: Challenges and Issues in Australia and India
• Role of Institutions in Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change in Australia and India
• Climate Change and Law: Australian and Indian Perspectives
• Australian Literature and Climate Change
• Indian Literature and Climate Change
• Australian Cinema and Climate Change
• Indian Cinema and Climate Change
• Australian Visual Arts and Climate Change
• Indian Visual Arts and Climate Change
•  Australian Performing Arts and Climate Change
• Indian Performing Arts and Climate Change
• Climate Change: Australian Indigenous Perspectives
• Climate Change: Indian Indigenous Perspectives

Abstracts in 300 words are to be sent to cas.buruniv@gmail.com by 25 December 2023. Decisions regarding acceptance of abstracts will be notified by 31 December 2023.

Conference Coordinators

Prof. Angshuman Kar

Director, Centre for Australian Studies Burdwan University

Dr Sanjoy Malik

Assistant Professor, Department of English Burdwan University

Date & Venue

10-11 JANUARY, 2024

The Department of English and Culture Studies

The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan