Delta Futures: (In)Visibilities in Audiovisual Culture

Delta Futures: (In)Visibilities in Audiovisual Culture

River deltas have historically been hotspots for human civilization as populations settle in their fertile grounds seeking resources and opportunities for prosperity. In South Asia, the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta shared by India and Bangladesh hosts over 130 million people, while the Mekong Delta represents the largest agricultural production region of Vietnam; in Africa, the Nile Delta in the north and the Niger Delta in the west represent two of the most significant economic and cultural centers of the continent; in Europe, the Netherlands is located in a delta consisting of many lakes, rivers and canals; the Mississippi Delta in North America, as well as the Magdalena and Amazon Deltas in South America, hold special places in the global discourse on the environmental impact of the Anthropocene. Despite the status of deltas as vital socioecological systems and regional food-baskets, the terrain and the livelihoods of those who rely on them are under threat from human exploitation, environmental degradation and climate change urging for the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This transdisciplinary conference aims to explore the representations in audiovisual culture of the socioecological challenges faced by delta communities around the world, as well as the relevant cultural strategies and practices employed by vulnerable groups confronted with delta change. In this framework, the conference will examine the role that contemporary audiovisual culture plays in forging global environmental imaginaries and increasing the visibility of the endangered delta futures.

Delta Futures is a hybrid conference taking place on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 March 2022 at Durham University.

More more details and the conference programme, please see here.

Register Here