ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Melange is the annual international conference organised by the MA in English with Communication Studies programme of the Department of English and Cultural Studies at Christ (Deemed to be University), Central Campus, Bangalore. It provides a forum for students, scholars, and professors alike to contribute to the field of research, bringing different areas of interest to the forefront each year. Over the years, Melange has acted as a platform that has facilitated ongoing discussions on numerous topics that have proved their importance in the field of literary studies, cultural studies and much more. Melange 2024, titled “Safarnama: Narrativizing Railways as a Cultural Text”, was a stimulating journey that opened a forum for situating trains and railways not only in the academic sphere but also in areas of public policy and industry. The topic selected for the year 2025 – Urban Contemplations: Exploring Cities as Sites of Narrativity, Meaning and Action – is the latest in the University’s tradition. The conference aims to shed light on the cityscape, an integral piece to society’s puzzle, given its significance and influence on the latter. The various facets of cityscapes and city life, inspiring art, literary and cultural texts, and other forms of dialogue warrant a deeper investigation into the subject, understanding the urban as dynamic and shifting. Melange serves as a stage for all discussions of this shifting domain to take shape and welcomes all interested in the academics and aesthetics of the subject to join.

CONCEPT NOTE
Cityscapes are an integral part of our perception of the present and the future. This conference aims to explore multifarious perspectives on the urban realm and the literary and cultural texts that have emerged from cities. Their ubiquitous influence on society and history makes cities an interesting and significant site for study. Transnationalism has allowed for urban spaces to attain unprecedented connectivity and advancement. Cities have, thus, emerged as hotspots for intersecting dialogue between a multitude of fields. From entertainment and art to governance and architecture, cities are a wellspring of activity, meaning and action. Thus, the term ‘urban contemplations’ enables one to think of the ‘urban’ as a dynamic and fluid entity rather than a stagnant and static one. Cityspaces influence the social, political and literary dimensions and vice-versa, making them a crucial nexus for creation, synthesis and transformation. In the 21st century, the deepening of the rural-urban divide propels us to contemplate on the diverse implications of cities and their cosmopolitanism. For each one of us who dwell in cities or have experienced the dichotomies and intersections that govern the rural-urban divide, urban spaces have become indispensable to our understanding of the world. Cities are a peculiar case in today’s world as some cities continue to echo the clarion call for change while the rest are active sites of military aggression, unrest and extremism. The contradictions and ambiguities that pervade city narratives make it a pertinent subject for study.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Original and unpublished abstracts are accepted from individuals from various fields, including students, academicians, industry experts and more.
The abstracts can align with (but are not limited to) the following sub-themes:

● Urban Narratives

○ Literature on and around Cities, including memoirs

○ Memory and its contestations in Cities as discursive node

○ Fantasy/ Utopian and Dystopian Cities in Literature

○ Cityscape as Literary Character

○ Cities as Epicentres of Culture and Heritage construction

○ Metropolitan Chronotypes in Literature

○ Urban Palimpsest in writing

● Urban Linguistics

○ Languages and other Semiotic Resources in urban centres

○ Cultural Meanings created through Urban Accents and Dialects

○ Sound and Language in shaping the metropolitan

○ Translating the Urban Space

● Urban Architecture and Advertising

○ Tourism and Advertisements

○ Mobility and Accessibility

○ Monuments and Governmental Strategies, Civic Commons

● Cities as sites of political action

○ Revolution and resistance stemming from urban spaces

○ Cities as vulnerable sites for external aggression

○ Urban Resilience

○ Grassroots movements and initiatives

● Cities and Popular Culture

○ Cinematic representation of cities

○ Depictions of the urban in music/ art

○ Urban pop culture and cosmopolitan trends

○ Fandoms and other subcultures in city spaces

● Cities and Hybridity

○ Cosmopolitanism

○ Self and communal identity

○ Socio-economic intersectionality

○ Migrant Integration and Social Adjustment

● Re-imagining Cities and Sustainable City Planning

○ Sustainable City Planning

○ Ecological Urbanism

○ Gentrification and Cultural Shifts

○ Spatial chaos and Urban Sprawl

○ Critical Urban Theories

● Postmodern anxieties

○ Postmodern Urbanism

○ Means of Production in the Capitalist Economy

IMPORTANT DATES

● Deadline for abstract submission(early bird) - December 10, 2024

● Deadline for abstract submission (general) - December 22, 2024

● Deadline for paper submission- January 10,2025

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF THE PAPER AND ABSTRACT

All abstracts and full papers are to be submitted in MLA 9 format.

The abstracts are expected to be sent as an MS Word document.

Abstracts should be within 200 to 250 words, followed by 4-5 relevant keywords.

 The word limit of the full research paper is between 3000-3500 words.

Previously published papers, plagiarism and AI content are strictly prohibited. Failure to
comply will result in the rejection of the abstract and cancellation of the presentation.

The conference is in hybrid mode, however, participants within Bangalore are expected
to choose offline presentations while registering. Online presentations are open to
participants who reside outside of Bangalore.

Abstracts are to be sent to the Google form attached.

Conference Registration Fee Details

I. Christites

● Participants:

1. Students- ₹100

2. Research Scholar- ₹300

3. Faculty- ₹500

● Presenters

1. Students- ₹400.

2. Research scholar- ₹800

3. Faculty- ₹1200

II. External

● Participants

1. Students- ₹300

2. Research Scholar- ₹500

3. Faculty- ₹700

● Presenters

1. Students- ₹600

2. Research Scholar- ₹1000

3. Faculty- ₹1400

III. International

● Participant

1. Student- £10

2. Faculty/Research Scholar- £20

● Presenter

1. Student- £35

2. Faculty/Research Scholar- £50

IV. Industry Experts

● Presenter- ₹2000

V. Online 

1. Indian

● Participant

 i.Student: ₹600

 ii.Research Scholar/Faculty: ₹1000

● Presenter

 i.Student: ₹800

 ii.Research Scholar/Faculty: ₹1600

2. International

● Participant

 i.Student: £20

 ii.Research Scholar/Faculty: £35

● Presenter

 i.Student: £50

 ii.Research Scholar/Faculty: £65

NOTE: If selected, abstracts submitted after the early bird deadline will be charged an additional amount of ₹200. (Applicable only for Presenters)

Link to
register/
Submit
your abstract -
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEsRaQrcnozkFN2f2tEbZV3qR8bTgEnNwdU5FBs2BaAT5OQQ/viewform
Note:
● Select papers will be published in a UGC Care journal
● Certificates will be provided to all participants and presenters.
● Best Paper Award will also be awarded.

Organising Chair

Vice Chancellor: Dr. Fr. Joseph C C
Pro - Vice Chancellor : Dr. Fr. Viju P D
Dean : Dr. John Joseph Kennedy
Head of the Department : Dr. Kishore Selva Babu

Faculty Convenors
Dr. Rolla Das : rolla.das@christuniversity.in
Contact Us
Student Convenors
Sana Kamal : sana.kamal@maeng.christuniversity.in
Sidharth G Kumar : sidharth.kumar@maeng.christuniversity.in
For queries, mail us at
melange@christuniversity.in
Follow us on Instagram : @melange_metrolore
For more information, visit : https://melange.christuniversity.in