DEML, NSU to host international conference on language, literature, and TESOL

The Department of English and Modern Languages (DEML) at North South University (NSU) will host an international conference on language, literature, and TESOL, titled “Encountering the Human(ities): Anxiety, Storytelling, Futurity” from October 30 to 31, 2026, at the NSU campus in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

The conference examines some of the most pressing questions of our time, focusing on how human experience, identity, and knowledge are being reshaped amid rapid technological innovation, artificial intelligence, and global uncertainty. Bringing together perspectives from language, literature, and TESOL, the event explores the evolving relationships between humans, technologies, and other non-human actors that increasingly influence contemporary life. It seeks to promote diverse modes of inquiry, innovative pedagogical practices, and interdisciplinary dialogue that reimagine the role of the humanities in understanding and responding to the challenges of the present and the possibilities of the future.

The conference will feature two internationally acclaimed keynote speakers, namely, Professor N Katherine Hayles and Professor Banu Subramaniam, whose groundbreaking research has significantly shaped contemporary discussions in the humanities, science studies, and posthuman thought.

N Katherine Hayles, James B Duke Distinguished Professor Emerita of Literature at Duke University and Distinguished Research Professor of English at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is widely regarded as one of the most influential literary and cultural theorists of the contemporary era. Her pioneering work has transformed scholarly understanding of the relationships among literature, technology, artificial intelligence, and human cognition. A leading voice in posthumanist studies, Hayles has received international recognition for her contributions to literary theory and digital humanities, with her landmark book How We Became Posthuman becoming a foundational text across disciplines worldwide.

Joining her is Banu Subramaniam, Luella LaMer Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Wellesley College, USA, an internationally renowned evolutionary biologist, feminist scholar, and interdisciplinary thinker. Her research has been instrumental in reshaping conversations around science, gender, colonialism, and environmental justice. Through her award-winning works, Subramaniam has established herself as a leading voice in feminist science studies and environmental humanities, offering innovative perspectives on the complex intersections of knowledge, power, and ecology in the contemporary world.

Researchers, academics, and students from different parts of the world are invited to participate through paper and poster presentations. Both online and in-person participation options will be available. The deadline for abstract submission is June 30, 2026. 

The Department of English and Modern Languages of North South University has a longstanding tradition of organising successful academic conferences that promote scholarly excellence, meaningful engagement, and international collaboration. Building on that legacy, this conference will provide a vibrant platform for intellectual exchange, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the sharing of innovative ideas.