The climate crisis posits a major threat to the anthropocene regardless of geopolitical boundaries. However, Eurocentric discourses seldom acknowledge the resource exploitation that fuels climate change. This panel seeks to explore works of literature that highlight such instances of resource exploitation in the postcolony vis-à-vis the ideas of security and insecurity in the times of an emergent climate crisis. With a special focus on the specters of neocolonialism that threaten the security of postcolonial ecospheres, this panel seeks to decolonize the discourses of climate change that refuse to address the role played by Western ideology and capital in the rendering insecure of ecologies in the postcolony.  

This panel invites proposals for presentations of not more than 20 minutes each to address the topic stated above, or other ideas related to the South Atlantic Modern Language Association’s 95th Conference theme of “(In) Security: The Future of Language and Literary Studies.” Presenters are required to become members of SAMLA and to register for the conference which is scheduled to be held in-person in Atlanta, GA, from November 9-11, 2023.

Please submit an abstract of not more than 250 words, along with a brief bio, and any audio/visual requirements to Paushali Bhattacharya (paushali346@gmail.com) by June 30, 2023, for consideration.