Some of our colleagues at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, are organizing an promising symposium on post-postmodernism and trauma and asked us to spread the word. Among the speakers are Raoul Eshelman and Hans Bertens. We hope to feature a brief conference report later this month.
Beyond Aftermaths: Contemporary (Post-)Postmodernism in the Shadow of the Twentieth Century, 21-22 December 2010
While ‘memory’ and ‘trauma’ are currently of major interest to artists and cultural critics alike, the high tide of postmodernism seems to have passed away. “Beyond Aftermaths” discusses recent attempts to find new means of confronting the catastrophes of the twentieth century – means that challenge the received postmodern paradigms of aftermaths. But do these recent intellectual and artistic projects actually mark a step beyond the aporia of postmodern thought, or do they signal rather a restoration of values and beliefs that have long been thought to be untenable? A number of hand-picked philosophers, historians, and literary critics will address these issues from a variety of angles.
More information: www.rug.nl/let/beyondaftermaths