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Life01a


Ethnographies from the monsterbiome 
Convenors:
Yasmine Musharbash (Australian National University)
Geir Henning Presterudstuen (University of Bergen)
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Format:
Panel
Stream:
Life on Earth
Location:
NIKERI KC2.208
Sessions:
Thursday 24 November, -
Time zone: Australia/Melbourne

Short Abstract:

This panel seeks ethnographically grounded papers analysing how monsters and humans are mutually constitutive in the context of planetary crises. Starting our analyses from the monsterbiome we encourage papers that engage with processes of change and transformation through creative theorisations.

Long Abstract:

"Just as the microbiome opens up an avenue for thinking about biological selfhood through the invisible agents that define it, so too the monsterbiome allows us to take into account invisible forces that effect and define who we are." (Foster 2020:224)

We seek ethnographically grounded papers and presentations that consider the lessons humans may learn from monsters about dealing with, thriving in, despairing of or overcoming existentially challenging times. Building on the premise that monsters are "embodiments of cultural moments" (Cohen, 1996), we look for contributions that specifically engage with monsters of this current cultural moment of planetary crisis (or any of its constitutive elements from wars, via ecological disasters and mass extinction, to pandemics). We encourage analyses that engage with/draw on conceptualisations of the paths monsters may take in contexts of social change and transformation: emergence, adaptation, appropriation, amalgamation, extinction, and succession (Musharbash and Presterudstuen 2020); and we especially invite creative theorisations of different paths monsters may take.

Situating the panel's ethnographic analyses in the monsterbiome enables comparison of the many ways monsters and humans are "not only symbiotic but mutually constitutive" (Foster 2020). In this vein, we are also interested in contributions exploring the human experience of life in the monsterbiome. Ultimately, the panel's aim is to examine how human-monster relationships are articulated and experienced in times of crisis - and what kinds of life support lessons might be gleaned from this exercise.

Accepted papers:

Session 1 Wednesday 23 November, 2022, -