The Department of English Literary Studies celebrated the successful revival of the regional postgraduate conference, with nearly 80 delegates from UCT, Stellenbosch University, and the University of the Western Cape gathering for Margins and (Un)belonging at Hlanganani Junction.

The conference, organized by a committee of 12 UCT postgraduates under the guidance of Dr Kate Highman and Dr Bernard Fortuin, featured cutting-edge research from Honours, Master's, and PhD candidates. Topics ranged from mycophobic texts and feminist body horror to AI as liberating code and autiebiographies, reflecting the diverse and innovative work being undertaken by emerging academics.

The day featured six themed panels:

• Bodies, Borders, and Belonging
• Alienating Ecosystems / Interstitial Literatures
• Women in Resistance
• Bearing Witness: Blackness & Being
• Alternative Imaginaries
• Decolonial Speculative Fictions

Head of Department Professor Hedley Twidle opened the conference with encouraging words. Attendees also enjoyed live music by Alec Jirachareonkul and catering provided by UWC.

The organizing committee, chaired by Bianca Mercedes Lee, included TJ Badrudeen, James Stoddart, Emma Sacco, Bokang Mohlabeng, Pearl Squires, Sabeela Hendricks, Jozi Harty, Haneef Parker, Gogontle Mosiakgabo, Tanaka Zimucha, and Charlie O'Melia, with support from SU representatives Elle Fieggen and Siwongiwe Makupula, and UWC organizer Dr Kamil Naicker.

This inaugural event re-establishes a rotating inter-institutional tradition, with each university taking turns to host future conferences, creating valuable opportunities for postgraduate students across the Western Cape.

Organizing committee chair Bianca Lee writes: 

'After an exciting day of sharing ideas and making friends, the end-of-day slump hit and everyone shared their contact details and said their happy goodbyes. But these were short-lived since there was a post-conference get-together at the Sour Fig poetry evening at OBZ Books. Sour Fig was founded by departmental tutor, alum and TA Alice Sholto-Douglas, and this poetry event made for a warm ending to a long day of thinking and networking. The conference attendees got to listen to some of Cape Town’s favourite spoken word poets with a hot chocolate or glass of wine in hand, all in support Gift of the Givers. 

With immensely positive reviews, it seems that the conference has set a standard of excellence that the English Literary Studies Department can be proud of,  and has catalysed an inter-institutional tradition that gives space for a new generation of academia’s best thinkers.' 

Enormous thanks to Bianca and the committee!