Discourses '26, Mount Carmel College (DISCOURSES '26)
Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Organization: Mount Carmel College, Bangalore
Event: DISCOURSES '26
THE DEPARTMENTS OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES AND HISTORY Mount Carmel College, Autonomous present DISCOURSES '26 - FOOD, HISTORY AND MIGRATION 21st and 22nd of January, 2026 CONCEPT NOTE Discourses '26 welcomes participants to send in papers that approach food as an “ensemble of texts” (Geertz 1973) – inviting us to read every dish as an archive of memory and movement; where the act of eating is the meeting-point of the individual, the social, and the universal. The incorporating of food and the body is an anxious encounter between the self and the world, the known and the unknown. Eating, then, “forces us to interact physically, emotionally, and cognitively with the surrounding Otherness,” (Parasecoli 2014). Discourses '26 regards food as a site of inquiry, enabling a tracing of its trajectory from its production and preparation, to its consumption. How does food become a point of reference for migrants or displaced communities? In what way does the sharing of a meal foster a sense of belonging? Where can one situate memory in the sensory experiences of our interactions with food? As material manifestations of changing relations, shifting boundaries, periods of transition, ecological fluctuation and modes of inclusion and exclusion – food becomes a record of all human experience. Food is a part of the everyday; its practice exists outside theoretical constraints and inside the spaces we inhabit – the street, the restaurant, the kitchen, the home. Food becomes the hearth that constructs notions of family, kinship and communal nostalgia. Yet, the same spaces provoke discourse on gender, class and social stratification. In the choosing of what one may or may not eat, who may or may not cook, Discourses '26 prompts us to consider how food operates as a means of exclusion. By facilitating interdisciplinary engagement through panel discussions, live exhibitions, and more – ultimately, Discourses '26 asks us to pay closer attention to our relations with food, and the numerous forces that act upon it. Original papers on the following sub themes are welcomed to be submitted for the conference: Food and Transnationalism Caste and Food Food, Domestic Labour & Gender Politics The Politics of Food Production The Politics of Smell/Taste Food and Migration The Culinary Practices of the Diaspora Food and Memory Food and Class Hierarchies Food Representation in Literary and Media Text Food, Language and Identity Aesthetic and Gustatory Theories of Food Food and Family Dynamics Food, Tradition and Storytelling Food Insecurity and Famine Food as means of Community Formation World Literature and Food Food as Resistance Oral Histories of Food Food, Religion and Ritual Food and the Economy Food and Exclusion Food as a Method of Archival Food and the Environment SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 1. The abstract should not exceed 300-450 words and must be typed in Times New Roman 12. 2. Please send the abstracts as a pdf document to the mail id: discoursesofficial@gmail.com 3.Once submitted, all abstracts will be reviewed in 2-4 weeks and the notification of selection will be sent via email. 4.Please note that the last date for the abstract submission is 30th November, 2025. 5.The last date for the final submission of the paper is 2nd January, 2026. Please ensure that the abstract includes the following: • Title of paper • Author(s) details such as institutional affiliation, address, postal code, contact details and affiliated country. • Bibliography which includes the correct spelling of contributors, and in- depth citation. • A concise summary of the introduction, exploration of the gaps of the research topic and methodology followed by results and a conclusion. • A minimum of 4-5 keywords. ABOUT THE DEPARTMENTS: The Department of Communication Studies The Department thrives at the crossroads of creativity and critical thought. In studios that buzz with editing screens and classrooms that echo with debate, students learn to turn ideas into images, stories, and strategies. Crossing boundaries between media, film, journalism, advertising, and digital storytelling, the department nurtures communicators who can both question and craft the narratives shaping contemporary culture. Grounded in experiential learning and dialogue, the department cultivates collaboration, curiosity, and intellectual rigor. Initiatives like Discourses extend this spirit beyond the classroom, bringing together scholars, practitioners, and students to exchange ideas and reimagine how stories and media shape meaning in today’s interconnected world The Department of History Established in 1948, the department seeks to inculcate an independent and critical understanding of society through the study of history. Through the teaching of ‘local’ and ‘global’ histories, it aims to infuse a historical sensibility that caters to a sustainable future. To this end, the Department offers diverse and exciting courses covering multiple time-periods, regions and themes,including regional configurations and cosmopolitanisms of medieval south India, historical transitions in Europe and South Asia, post-colonial and contemporary histories of the Global South and history of music and cinema. REGISTRATIONS For attending: Carmelites: 100 Rs Non-carmelites: 200 Rs For Paper presentations: UG Students: 300 Rs PG Students: 500 Rs Scholars/Researchers: 750 Rs International Participants: 1000 Rs For any queries regarding the programme, please contact: discoursesofficial@gmail.com Aanya: +91 9353060265 Rachel: +91 90803 27592 We look forward to seeing you at Discourses '26.
9353060265