Ecocritical Readings: Exploring the Human-Nature Dialectics

The Postgraduate Forum of the Department of English, Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla, in association with Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and the IQAC, organized a one-day national seminar on“Ecocritical Readings: Exploring the Human-Nature Dialectics.”
The inaugural session opened with a prayer song by the Department of English choir, followed by a welcome address from Dr. Susan Thomas, Head of the Department. Dr. Mathew Varkey TK, Principal of the College, addressed the gathering. Dr. Thomas Mathew, Head of the Department of Biosciences, offered felicitations, and Ms. Bismi M. Babu rendered a solo song.
Dr. Neema Susan Mathews, Faculty Coordinator of the PG Forum, introduced the chief guest, Dr. Suja Kurup P. L., Professor, Institute of English. In her keynote address, Dr. Suja explored the representation of human and nonhuman relationships in Australian literature and various cultural contexts. She highlighted how Australian writers, through poetry, fiction, and Indigenous storytelling, engage with themes of environmental crisis, landscape, and identity. Her address urged students and researchers to consider how literature and art can shape ecological awareness and responsibility. The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Nandana Benoy, Student Convenor.
Following the inauguration, the seminar hosted 24 offline paper presentations across four venues and 70 online presentations held in ten sessions, drawing participation from scholars representing various institutions across the country. Fourteen faculty members from both the host institution and other institutions chaired the paper presentation sessions, ensuring academic rigor and constructive discussions.
A total of 150 participants attended the seminar in both offline and online modes, and this impressive turnout stands as a testament to the success of the seminar. The event was coordinated by postgraduate students, who managed various committees and ensured the smooth conduct of all sessions.
The seminar provided a meaningful forum for faculty, researchers, and students to exchange ideas on the evolving intersections between literature, ecology, and ethics, reinforcing the relevance of ecocriticism in today’s academic and environmental discourse.