Beckett, Phenomenology and Ecology // Beckett, phénoménologie et l’écologie
21 June 2019, 2pm-5pm, The American University of Paris
Phenomenology, from its classical roots in Husserl to its more contemporary intersections with ecology, re-imagines relations between the human and its surroundings. How might phenomenology, then, inspire innovative readings of Beckett’s work around ecological crisis, climate change, and environmental instability? We are envisioning an informal, collegial gathering of scholars of literature and philosophy on 21 June, at The American University of Paris, where we will approach this question from a variety of angles, anchored in reading three Beckett texts and one article on eco-phenomenology. We are eager to bring together scholars thinking with the phenomenological tradition expansively, from Husserl to Merleau-Ponty to Henry, and to include scholars with a variety of approaches to literary texts, from political to comparative to philosophical to psychoanalytic. We are not aiming for the workshop to produce a “product,” but we do hope to explore whether there may be ways for the discussions to continue in future years. We imagine pre-circulating Beckett texts in French and English, with discussion itself taking place primarily in English, and with a couple workshop participants kicking off discussion of each text with informal opening reflections. The workshop is convened by Amanda Dennis and Vincent Lloyd.
Contact: amanda.amandadennis@gmail.com
The Samuel Beckett Society 