Identities Alterities Cultures (Axis 2)

Director: Erika Thomas

Researchers :

 

  • Membre associée :
    • Sylvie Dubois

Far from being reduced to words or concepts that are superimposed or brought together with the sole aim of accommodating research “by default”, Identities, Alterities and Cultures is a specific axis that aims to give an account of movements. What are these movements? From the inside out and from the outside in: psychic, territorial, geographical, artistic, linguistic movements, to name but a few.

Why or how should we consider these movements? Because they tell the story of the axis through systems of representations, values, regimes, beliefs and ideologies. And to grasp these in a stimulating way, we need to conceive of the deviations these movements draw in relation to the norm, to discourses, to points of departure.

Defined in this way, we see shifting processes challenging us, rather than fixed structures:

Thinking about identity means considering themes such as: the quest for and investigation of identity; the construction of identity; the question of identity and belonging, identity and reference; identity claims, the notions of conflict and reconciliation, reconciliation linked to the encounter with the Other.

Considering Otherness of course includes the boundary between self and Other, and the I as Other, but it’s important to emphasize that Otherness extends beyond the human Other to include the animal Other.

Exploring the notion of Culture means linking it to others such as anthropology, cultural heritage, history, the arts, geography, languages and industries.

Various projects have been carried out in this area and are ongoing this year

  • A colloquium on “Anthropologie Visuelles: des terrains aux images plurielles” took place on September 28 and 29 (Erika Thomas FF, FLSH and Nathalie Gauthard, univ Artois). The proceedings will be published in L’Ethnologie in 2023/2024.
  • A literature and documentary debate on species preservation was held around the documentary A l’ombre des éléphants (Thomas 2022, 30 min) in partnership with Lille 3000 on September 28.
  • Collective research by members of the axis is currently being carried out on a photograph discovered in a cardboard box in the Jeanne Durieux 1941-2018 film library (Publication and presentation early 2023).
  • A photo and text research-creation residency: “L’Autre, l’ami, le double : chronique d’une amitié au long cours” (Erika Thomas and Sophie Bouttée) is currently underway.

Seminars for 2022/2023

  • The coastline of intimacy. Study day or symposium planned for 2nd half of 2023, with publication of a collective work.
  • Black Studies. A colloquium on African Travel is planned for 2023 in collaboration with Union College of New York (Cheikh N’Daye, director of the Africana Studies program).
  • Series of lectures as part of the Music and Visual Arts seminar

More information

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