National Seminar

on
“DECOLONISING NATURE:
LITERATURE FOR A CHANGING PLANET”
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH,
MAHARAJA SRIRAM CHANDRA BHANJADEO UNIVERSITY
12-13 May, 2023
Registration Link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaOTIW9JwEols6_Xqu1n0EmBFDWiXAFLywGjjWN7LDMAyEUQ/viewfor
m
About the University:
The Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University
(MSCB University), formerly North Orissa University
(NOU) was established by the Government of Orissa, under
the Section 32 of the Odisha University Act, 1989 (Act 5 of
1989), vide notification No. 880 dated 13th July 1998. It was
carved out of the Utkal University and became operational
since 1999 at Takatpur (98.84 acres) of Baripada in the
Mayurbhanj District of Odisha as an affiliating university.
MSCB was accredited by National Assessment and
Accreditation Council (NAAC) with an ‘A’ grade in third
assessment cycle with a score of 3.1 out of 4 points. The
territorial jurisdiction of the university extends over
Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts of the northern part of
Odisha, thickly populated with tribal communities.
 CONCEPT NOTE
“God created man in His own image”, says the Bible. Then what about the non-human rest of the planet?
God, humans have been led to believe, has created nature to serve them. The Bible seems to have accorded
scriptural sanctity to what has come to be known as anthropocentrism. Man is the master; the entire non-
human planet is his possession. The former has become the colonizer; the latter, his colony to be conquered
and appropriated. This position of the post-Enlightenment Western modernity has, however, appeared to be
problematic for more than half a century now. The whole of humanity now knows the grave consequences
Word limit
of colonizing nature. Our planet is changing, to our despair.
Abstract: 250 – 300 words
Sadly, the response of mankind to the problem falls far short of reaching the scale the latter threatens it Full – length paper: 3000
with. The awareness about climate change, for instance, has at best resulted in some global policies. But words ( Preferably MLA 9th
policies do not move towards mitigation. They do not translate into the activism that could possibly Style)
mitigate the climate crisis. If science shows us the problem, humanities may help address it in ways The abstract and paper must
unknown hitherto. In his path-breaking 2021 book, Literature for a Changing Planet, Martin Puchner says: contain:
“The power of stories – seductive, misleading, and transformative – needs to be harnessed to a new • Title
purpose: mitigating climate change”. He further writes: “By bringing together insights from ecocriticism, • Author information (
world literature, and narrative studies, this book hopes to enhance the role of literature in the conversation Affiliation and Email id )
about climate change, a conversation too important to take place without humanities. Kindly mention (your name) in
Taking its cue from Puchner’s manifesto, the 2-day national seminar seeks to raise and address issues the subject line of the e-mail
related to the role of literature and literary studies in the conversation about climate change. It aims to Format Essentialities:
provide a forum to authors, academics, researchers, and students from across the country to engage in a • File format: MS WORD
discourse driven towards a paradigm shift from nature-for-humans to humans-for-nature, through literature. (PDFs shall not be accepted )
Participants are requested to send in the abstract of their papers on a theme related to that of the seminar. • Font: Times New Roman, 12
The topics are, though not limited to, the following: point type
1. Literature for Environment Registration Link:
2. Ecopoetics https://docs.google.com/forms/
3. Ecocriticism d/e/1FAIpQLSdaOTIW9JwEols6_
Xqu1n0EmBFDWiXAFLywGjjWN
4. Ecofeminism
7LDMAyEUQ/viewform
5. Return to Nature
6. Literature and the Non-human

You can submit your paper/abstract to shakti.dandapat@gmail.com

departmentofenglish@gmail.com
 CHIEF PATRON

Prof. Santosh K. Tripathy GUEST OF HONOUR

Vice-Chancellor
MSCB University

PATRON

Padma Shri Dr. Damayanti Beshra

Reputed Santali Author and Adivasi Researcher

Prof. Pramod K. Satapathy

Chairman, P.G. Council & Director, SFC
MSCB University
 Esteemed Speakers

Prof. Asima R. Parhi Keynote Speaker Prof. Sambit Panigrahi

Head Dr. Debasisha Pati Head
P.G. Dept. of English Associate Professor, Dept. of English
Utkal University, Bhubaneswar Dept. of English and MEL Ravenshaw University, Cuttack
University of Allhabad, Prayagraj,
UP
 Convener
Dr. Shakti S. Dandapat
Deptartment of English
MSCB University
Phone no.: 7008710052
E-mail: shakti.dandapat@gmail.com

Editorial Committee
Dr. Shakti S. Dandapat
Phone no.: 7008710052
Dr. Shabnam Parveen
Phone no.: 8328850915
Miss Subhashree Pattnaik
Phone no.: 8093636091
Payment method:

Students, Research Scholars and Faculty members who wish to register for the National
Seminar: “DECOLONISING NATURE: LITERATURE FOR A CHANGING
PLANET” should pay the Seminar registration fee, mentioned against their category:
For participation: Rs. 800/-
For paper presentation: Rs. 1500/-

Payment to be made by online transfer to the Bank Account/ QR CODE . The details are
listed below.
Name of Account Holder: Girija Sankar Sahoo
A/C No.: 37893587360
Name of the Bank: SBI, Basta
IFSC Code: SBIN0013583
You must upload the proof of payment, your name and other details in order to be eligible
for the certificate of participation/presentation.
In case the amount is deducted from your account, but you did not get the
acknowledgement/receipt, please contact the payment gateway.

Registration Open
Abstract Submission(Last date): 03.05.2023
Last date of Registration: 05.05.2023
 Important Information

1. This registration is open to all.

2. Registration fee will include participation/presentation certificate, conference kit,
lunch – tea – snacks – dinner etc. for all the conference days.
3. Last date of abstract submission: 1st May 2023.
4. Intimation about the acceptance of abstracts: 3rd May 2023.
5. Last date of registration: 5th May 2023.
6. Participants should send their original and unpublished articles, strictly following
the MLA style (preferably 9th) for preparing their papers.
7. No TA/DA will be provided.

ACCOMODATION
There are a good number of hotels at Baripada.
The outstation delegates are humbly requested to arrange their accommodation at their own
liberty and expense.