A book stand outside was organised by Protea Bookstore, one of the sponsors of the Crosscurrents conference in 2014.

The sixth annual CrossCurrents conference took place from 28 to 29 October. Hosted by the University of Cape Town’s English Language and Literature department, together with UCT Postamble and the Protea Bookstore, the event is designed to profile postgraduate research in the Humanities. It is organised almost entirely by postgraduate students.

The idea for CrossCurrents came about in 2009, when Professor Carrol Clarkson thought of gathering together postgraduates from across the Humanities in a conference format. The event has been running annually since then. It provides a platform for Humanities students to present their current research to an interdisciplinary audience of peers. One of the key features of the conference is the rich discussion and the exchange of ideas that occurs over the two days. These initial conversations can spark new synergies as well as opportunities for academic collaborations across the institution. From a relatively small colloquium in 2009, the initiative has grown, and now attracts a diverse audience and panel. A call for papers is sent out to the Humanities departments of numerous institutions across the Western Cape and beyond, and abstracts are then selected on the basis of their coherence and interest.

CrossCurrents 2014 featured young researchers from seventeen different departments representing the Universities of Witwatersrand, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Granada and Leeds. Rosa Lyster (PhD candidate, UCT English Language and Literature department) discussed the ways in which authors use ‘bread’ as a metaphor to expose the deep socio-economic rifts in South African society. “Land and sea are encompassed by word: Tristan da Cunha and originary islands” was the title of Thierry Rousett’s presentation, which detailed his research on the appropriation of islands as part of colonial empire-building. Rousett is a PhD candidate in the Department of Historical Studies. 

According to event organizer Daniela Franca, the 2014 conference was notable for its genuine sense of camaraderie and partnership among participants. “We learnt so much from one another, and connected beyond simply the intellectual level. Friendships were formed; collaborations were initiated; inspirations were catalysed. Thank you to the English Department’s Jill Patel, Shihaam Peplouw Isa Mkoka, Sandra Young, Meg Samuelson, Carrol Clarkson and Laura Barnard for their invaluable support in ensuring the event’s success” said Franca.

The 2014 conference ended with wine and creative-writing readings on Wednesday evening.