Conferences

Invited talks and keynotes:

  • “Posthumanism’s German Genealogies”, keynote (Posthumanism and the Posthuman: Chances and Challenges, University of London, March 2023).
  • “(Un)Ravelling”, keynote (Posthum3n: Entanglements & Intersections in a Posthuman World, University of Porto, November 2022).
  • “Perfectibilities, or, How (Not) to Improve Humans”, invited speaker (What is Left of Humans? On the Anthropology of Trans- and Posthumanism, Tübingen, July 2022).
  • “Verbesserung… oder Posthumanismus “jenseits” von Gewalt?”, keynote (Posthumanismus. Transhumanismus. Jenseits des Menschen? Universität Graz, May 2022). Now published in the Kulturwissenschaftliche Zeitschrift and available online here.
  • “Posthumanismus und “Embodiment” – an Beispielen zeitgenössischer Kunst”, invited Speaker (Ringvorlesung Körper – Grenzen – Kulte, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, April 2020).
  • “Critical Posthumanism – A Genealogy”, invited speaker (Der “neue” Mensch: Biotechnologie, Künstliche Intelligenz und die Frage nach dem guten Leben, Nell-Breuning Symposium 9, Rödermark, November 2019).
  • “Menschsein ver/lernen? “Verwilderungstendenzen” und posthumanistische Remediation” (Posthumanistische Medienbildung? Bildungstheoretische Positionen nach Anthropozentrismus und Humanismus, University of Cologne, October 2019).
  • “Posthumanismus – eine kleine Einführung”, invited speaker (Eija Liisa Ahtila – Skulptur in Zeiten des Posthumanismus, Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg, October 2019).
  • “Before Humanity”, keynote (Representation in the Time of the Posthuman: Transhuman Enhancement in 21st Century Storytelling, University of Zaragoza, May 2019).
  • “(Post)Humanmedizin”, invited speaker (5. Symposium Philosophie & Medizin: Die menschliche Natur und ihre Zukunft, Wien, March 2019).
  • “Kritischer Posthumanismus?”, invited guest lecture (University of Vienna, June 2018).
  • “Posthumanist Literature?”, Keynote (Approaching Posthumanism and the Posthuman, University of Geneva, June 2015).
  • “Posthumanism: Ethics, Politics, Aesthetics”, Invited Speaker (PhD programme Art, Literature and Cultural Studies, Aarhus University, September 2014).
  • “Posthumanism, Education, Methodology”, Invited Speaker (Centre for Citizenship, Identities and Governance at the Open University, London, Workshop on “Posthuman Method”, June 2014)
  • “Posthumanism without technology”, Keynote (Tel Aviv University, “Oh-Man, Oh-Machine: The Politics and Aesthetics of Posthumanism”, May 2014).
  • “Originary Mediality”, Invited Speaker (Universität Mannheim, Workshop “Posthumanist Perspectives”, March 2014).
  • “Panel Debate: Post-Human Humanities for the Global Era” (Aarhus, Negotiating the Humanities, November 2013).
  • “John Keats’s ‘Ode to a Nightingale’: A Posthumanist Reading” (English Department, University of Malta, October 2013).
  • “Lifewriting” (University of Malta, Writing Life, March 2013).
  • “Post Proto Ana-: Constructions of the Future” (Winterschool, University of Bern, IASH, Timing Transformations, February 2013).
  • “Posthuman – Posthumanismus – Posthumanität” (University of Heidelberg, Vortragsreihe: Sozialgeschichte – Eine Disziplin wird neu gedacht!, January 2013).
  • “The Rhetoric of the Posthuman” (University of Ploiesti, Ethos – Pathos – Logos, October 2012).
  • Roundtable “Posthumanist Approaches to the Nonhuman: A Transatlantic Comparison” (University of Wisconsin, SLSA, September 2012).
  • “Just Gaming with the Posthuman” (University of Malta, Digital Games and Literary Theory, March 2012).
  • “Shakespeare – Early, Late or Posthumanist: The Case of Hamlet” (University of Bucharest, Literature and the Long Modernity, November 2011).
  • “Posthumanism and Autobiography”(Doctoral School “Life Writing”, University of Mainz, February 2011).
  • “Posthumanismus, Subjekt und System” (Was wird Denken heissen? Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung, HfG Forschungsinstitut, Karlsruhe, July 2010).
  • “Mehr oder weniger menschlich – Für einen aufgeklärten Posthumanismus” (Studium Generale, Universität Mainz, June 2010).
  • “Intertissuality” (SLSA-EU Textures – The 6th European Meeting of the Society for Literature, Science and the Arts, “Roundtable on Materiality and Textuality I, with Yves Abiroux, Stefan Herbrechter, Vicki Kirby, Joseph Tabbi, and Elizabeth Wislon, Riga, June 2010).
  • “Brooding – Life after Animals” (Zoontotechnics – Animality/Technicity, Centre for Critical and Cultural Theory, Cardiff University, May 2010) [subplenary speaker].
  • “Identity – Difference – Alterity” (Graduate School@IASH, Universität Bern, May 2010).
  • “Life in Theory” (Style in Theory/Styling Theory, University of Malta, November 2009 [invited keynote speaker]).
  • “Posthumanist Shakespeares” (Humankinds: The Renaissance and Its Anthropologies, Universität München, July 2009).
  • “Representing the Posthuman” (Universität Braunschweig, January 2004)
  • “The Metaphysics of Treasure – Romanticism… In Theory” (Treasures Universität Hannover, July 2009).
  • “Cyborgia and the Posthuman” (University of St. Gallen, November 2008).
  • “Was leisten die Cultural Studies in der Schule?” (Universität Hildesheim, October 2007).
  • “The Matrix, Posthumanism and Subjectivity”, Guest Speaker, “Exit the Human – Enter the Posthuman?” Postgraduate Seminar (University of Amsterdam, April 2006).
  • “Posthumanism and Gender”, Literature and Comparison, Faculty of Arts Staff and Postgraduate Seminar Series (University of Malta, February 2006).
  • “Gender and Posthumanism” (Universität Bochum, January 2006).
  • “Theses for a European Cultural Theory” (University of Birmingham, April 2004).
  • Intervention at Kulturwissenschaften in der Anglistik: Versuch einer Standortbestimmung, Panel on “Lehrinhalte und Qualifikationsprofile” (Dortmund, April 2003).
  • “Deconstruction, Postcolonialism and Europe”, Vortrag im Rahmen des Graduiertenkollegs der American Studies (Universität Regensburg, May 2001).
  • “Xenography – Strangers and Strangeness in Literature, Theory and Culture”, Vortrag im Rahmen des Graduiertenkollegs Anglistik (Universität Regensburg, May 2001).
  • “Theory of Childhood – Childhood of Theory: Toy Story and Toy Story II”, Research Seminar at the Department of Media and Communication Queen Margaret University College (Edinburgh March 2001).
  • “The Institution of the Cultural: Critical and Cultural Theory, Cultural Criticism, Cultural Analysis, Cultural Studies”, Cultural Studies, Theories and Disciplines (Université Paris VII, December 2000).
  • “Bilingualism and Translation in Derrida and Postmodern Fiction”, Literary Theory Forum (University of Malta, April 1999).

 

Conference papers:

  • “Addressing the Posthuman” (The Emergence of the Posthuman Subject, University of Surrey, July 2010).
  • “Postmodernism, Postsecularism, Posthumanism” (Post-secular Britain? Universität Oldenburg, November 2008).
  • “What is a posthumanist reading?” (with Ivan Callus, Is There a Human in This Text: Rethinking Literature and Humanism, Leicester, July 2008).
  • “Resistance, Relevance and Restance in Theory” (with Ivan Callus, The Relevance of Theory, Université Paris X Nanterre, June 2008).
  • “Re-mediating Criticism: The Fortunes of the Letter in the Digital Age” (with Ivan Callus), Re-mediating Literature (Utrecht, July 2007).
  • “The Grammar of Deconstruction” (with Ivan Callus), Counter-Movements: Institutions of Difference (Portsmouth, July 2006).
  • “Critical Posthumanisms, or Techne and the Inventio of Poststructuralism” (with Ivan Callus), Close Encounters – SLSA European Conference (University of Amsterdam, June 2006).
  • “Critical Posthumanisms, Or, Techne and the Inventio of Poststructuralism”, with Ivan Callus, SLSA – Emergent Systems, Cognitive Environments (Chicago, November 2005).
  • “Auto/bi/o/graphy”, Fiction and Autobiography (Salzburg, October 2004).
  • “Rigor theoriae – Post/Theory, Culture, Criticism”, Où va la théorie? Whither Theory? (Paris: Nanterre, June 2003).
  • “The Stranger as Go-Between in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice”, Renaissance Go-Betweens: Cultural Exchange in Early Modern Europe (University of Munich, Shakespeare Library, July 2002).
  • “Auto/Bio/Graphy – Accommodating the Other: Khatibi ‘avec’ Derrida”, Translating Class, Altering Hospitality (University of Leeds, CATH, June 2002).
  • “Objectless Subjects and Subjectless Objects: Posthumanism, Politics and Ethics in The Matrix”, Ethics and Politics: The Work of Alain Badiou (Cardiff University, May 2002).
  • “The Translation of Theory”, Post-Theory: Politics, Economics and Culture (De Montfort University, Leicester, September 2001).
  • “Nice Work Sisters? Masculinity in the Work of Irvine Welsh and New Labour”, Tenth British Cultural Studies Conference (Universität Potsdam, November 1999).
  • “A Politics of the Other? Alterity and Alteration”, Deconstruction Reading Politics (Staffordshire University, July 1999).
  • “L’Histoire de Durrell”, Colloque pour l’inauguration de la Bibliothèque Lawrence Durrell (Paris, Nanterre, October 1997).
  • “Cosmopolitanism and (E)Urope: Translating the Other”, Britons and Germans: Stereotypes at Work — Briten und Deutsche: Stereotypen in Aktion (Cardiff, September 1997).
  • “Difference and Alterity: Found in Translation, or Why Bilinguals Must Translate”, Translation and Power (University of Warwick, July 1997).
  • “Lawrence Durrell and the Canon: Receiving The Avignon Quintet”, On Miracle Ground IX: The International Lawrence Durrell Conference (Alexandria, June 1996).
  • “Modernism, Postmodernism and the Question of History”, History in Literature/Literature in History (Cheltenham and Gloucester, College of Higher Education, April 1996).
  • “Subject to Silence: Lawrence Durrell’s Artist as Autist”, (Postgraduate Conference, University of Wales, Gregynog, March 1996).

 

Conferences and workshops organised:

  • Organising committee member of “Scale”, SLSAeu convention, University of Malta, June 2015.
  • Organising committee member of “Life, in Theory”, SLSAeu convention, and co-convenor of the “Narrating Life” stream, Turin & Vercelli, June 2014.
  • “Whither Posthumanism?”, special panel at the MLA convention, Los Angeles, January 2011 (co-organiser and respondent).
  • “Constructions of the Future – Life Beyond Disciplines”, July 2011, Heidelberg (sole organiser of an international and interdisciplinary conference); keynote speakers: Ivan Callus, Claire Colebrook, Richard Grusin, Timothy Lenoir, Laurent Milesi, Jean-Michel Rabaté, R.L.Rutsky, Gregory Ulmer, Rainer Winter.
  • Research Cluster “Digital Media Culture”, Ccoventry School of Art and Design, 2009-10 (convenor).
  • Workshop on “Deconstruction – Ethics – Space”, funded by the DAAD, Universität Heidelberg, May 2009.
  • Convenor of “After Posthumanism…” An Open Workshop with the Editorial Board of “Critical Posthumanisms”, funded by the DAAD, Universität Heidelberg, May 2008.
  • Panel organiser on “Critical Posthumanism” at the CongressCATH on “The Ethics and Politics of Virtuality and Indexicality”, Leeds/Bradford, June 2005.
  • Media Research Seminar LTAS, 2000-2007 (convenor).
  • “Communities”, September 2003, LTAS (co-organiser of an international and interdisciplinary conference with more than 50 participants).
  • “Cultural Studies and Interdisciplinarity”, April 2002, LTAS (co-organiser of an international and interdisciplinary conference with more than 50 participants).