Duke University’s Amazon Lab and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of London are delighted to jointly present an upcoming online seminar series inspired on three generative terms: translation, media and cosmopolitics. Given the vast linguistic and cultural diversity of the Amazon region, translation theory and practice are paramount. They also shed light on historical misrepresentations in descriptions of Amazonian nature and its people, spanning from colonial writings to the present day.
Our interest in translation, however, also extends beyond language to encompass broader media and mediation aspects. This encompasses a rich tapestry of interactions among orality, writing, and visuality. Moreover, it delves into various media forms, including cartography, painting, photography, satellite imaging, cinema, and animation. These diverse mediums have all been harnessed extensively to depict the Amazon. This interest also transcends traditional studies, embracing Indigenous knowledge-making forms, like dreams and the use of psychoactive plants. These Indigenous practices can themselves be seen as media technologies.
Our core goal in fostering interdisciplinary and intercultural discussions is not simply to expand academic knowledge about the Amazon. Rather, we are dedicated to challenging and reshaping the very foundations of what counts as knowledge. This occurs through the dynamic interplay between diverse sense-making practices and cosmologies that may not align with Western worldviews or conventional academic disciplines. In this vein, we draw inspiration from Isabel Stengers’ notion of cosmopolitics as our third guiding theme. The seminar series will take place on the last Wednesday of each month (12 PM EST/5 PM GMT) throughout the 2023-24 academic year.