Platform for Postcolonial Readings

Format

The bi-annual interactive seminars of the Platform for Postcolonial Readings are all about sharing our enthusiasm about our field of research and our eagerness to learn more about its theoretical intricacies. Our seminars, although informal, adopt a well-defined format. Each meeting is organized around a certain theme, key-concept or hot topic.

The lively, interactive meetings of the Platform for Postcolonial Readings enable participants to learn more about the theoretical and methodological intricacies of their fields in an open and stimulating atmosphere. Although informal in style, our meetings adopt a well-defined format. Each meeting zooms in on a topical theme or concept and is organized as a day-long discussion seminar in three parts.

In the morning session an expert on the chosen topic gives a lecture, which kickstarts the discussion. In consultation with the expert, we, as organizers, propose a couple of related theoretical or critical texts to be read in preparation for this session. In the course of the session all participants engage in a collective close reading and discussion of these texts in order to jointly increase our understanding of the complexities and challenges they present.

In the afternoon some of the participants present their research-in-progress and explain how their work relates to the central theme and/or the theoretical texts read in the morning. Participants are encouraged to respond to these presentations and we strive for an open exchange that stimulates us all to develop our thinking, about the day’s readings and presentations as well as about our own research projects.

We conclude the meeting with a joint on-the-spot analysis of a literary work or film, for which the themes, concepts or issues discussed in the morning session serve as a point of departure. In this final session all participants have the opportunity to apply the newly-discussed theorizing or criticism.

The extensive introduction round in the morning and the informal network event at the close of the day enable all participants to establish connections beyond their local contexts and broaden the reach of their research. As such, the Platform for Postcolonial Readings also serves as an important occasion for networking for scholars based in the Low Countries.

For an overview of the current and past events organized by the Platform for Post-Colonial Readings, please go to the Events page.