Central University of Punjab’s Department of English conducted Special Lecture on “Biopower, Biocapitalism, and Precarity: Contemporary Literature in the Age of Neocolonialism”

Bathinda, May 28, 2024: The Department of English at the Central University of Punjab, under the patronage of the Honourable Vice-Chancellor, conducted a Special Lecture in hybrid mode on Monday by the distinguished scholar, Professor Pramod K. Nayar, FEA and FRHistS, Senior Professor and holder of the UNESCO Chair in Vulnerability Studies, at the Department of English, University of Hyderabad, on the intriguing and timely topic, "Biopower, Biocapitalism, and Precarity: Contemporary Literature in the Age of Neocolonialism." 
 

Prof. Nayar, renowned for his profound insights and scholarly contributions in the areas of English Colonial Writing on India, Postcolonial Studies, Posthumanism and Cultural Studies (including celebrity studies, digital culture studies and superheroes), Human Rights and Literature, Dalit Literature, Extreme Cultures, Ecoprecarity, and Bhopal with 52 books and more than 600 articles, has provided a comprehensive analysis of the intersections between biopower, biocapitalism, and precarity within the framework of neocolonialism arguing that “biological matter is where governments, science, corporate bodies now invest in across global borders.”   
 

Touching upon various forms of precarity, precarious lives, and Ecoprecarity, the lecture explored such themes in the 21st Century Literature like Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale & the MaddAddam Trilogy; Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go  in the light of Biopower and Biopolitics in the Age of Neocolonialism. Following the lecture, an interactive session was held, wherein students and attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with Prof. Nayar whose responses further illuminated the complexities of the topics discussed, providing clarity and fostering a rich academic dialogue.
 

The event concluded with a vote of thanks extended by Dr. Shahila Zafar, Head of the Department of English. Dr. Zafar expressed her gratitude to Prof. Nayar for his invaluable contribution to English Studies across the world, and emphasized the importance of such scholarly interactions in enriching the academic environment and encouraged continued engagement with critical contemporary issues through literature. The lecture, attracted a large and enthusiastic audience comprising students, faculty members, and literature enthusiasts.

The Department of English at the Central University of Punjab remains committed to fostering intellectual growth and facilitating meaningful academic discussions. This special lecture is a testament to the department's dedication to providing its students and faculty with opportunities to engage with leading scholars and contemporary literary discourses.