Concept Note

The escalating planetary crisis, characterised by environmental disruption, biodiversity loss, and profound socio-cultural inequalities, represents the defining challenge of the Anthropocene. Addressing this multidimensional predicament necessitates moving beyond purely technological or policy-centric solutions. While the natural sciences diagnose biophysical processes, and engineering devises technical mitigations, the human dimensions of ecological crisis—its historical roots, cultural perceptions, ethical implications, and societal transformations demand the interpretive, critical, and analytical perspectives of humanities and social science disciplines. A core premise is that sustainability is not merely a technical goal but a cultural, political, and ethical project. The social sciences, including sociology, anthropology, political economy, and human geography, provide essential frameworks for analysing the institutions, power dynamics, and economic systems that drive unsustainable practices. Indeed, they examine how environmental risks are distributed unevenly across the lines of caste, class, race, and gender, and how governance structures can either impede or enable just transitions. Concurrently, the humanities—encompassing history, philosophy, literature, and cultural studies offer critical perspectives on the narratives, values, and worldviews that have legitimised anthropogenic dominance. The convergence of these approaches is vital for understanding how ecological crises are experienced, interpreted, and contested. 

The conference will explore several key thematic intersections. These include the critique of growth-based paradigms and the imagining of post-capitalist, degrowth, or circular economies. The objective is to move from siloed scholarship towards integrative frameworks, such as environmental humanities, political ecology, and sustainable discourses, which explicitly bridge these domains. Further, this conference aims to catalyse a more robust, interdisciplinary scholarship that is not only analytically rigorous but also actionable. By synthesising insights from across the humanities and social sciences, we can contribute to the development of nuanced, context-sensitive, and ethically grounded pathways toward sustainability. This involves cultivating a scholarship that informs policy, enriches public discourse, and supports the cultural shifts required for a viable and equitable future on a finite planet. The intended outcome is a strengthened intellectual community committed to producing knowledge that is essential for navigating the complex socio-ecological transitions ahead.