by Maya Peak, class of 2025
The 2024 annual Humanities Research Conference fall conference, “Humanities Matter: Ecological Crossroads: Past, Present and Future,” was held at Duke Kunshan University this past weekend on August 30th and 31st, featuring keynote speakers from Brigham Young, Peking, and Duke Universities, as well as faculty presenters across divisions, and from NYUSH.
In the opening remarks, HRC Co-Directors, Carlos Rojas and Selina Lai-Henderson, as well as VCAA Scott MacEachern and EVC John Quelch emphasized the importance of environmental humanities, as well as the crucial role that the arts and the humanities have played in addressing ecological concerns and their historical implications.
The first keynote speech was delivered by Shen Hou, Professor of Environmental History from Peking University. Her enlightening keynote, “An Evolving Blue Planet: Writing About Ocean History in a Planetary Age,” implored us to explore oceans from our natural, historical, and personal histories, pulling them from the “aphotic zones” of our brain into the light.
Following Professor Shen’s keynote was a fascinating faculty panel titled, “Plastics, Cities, and Borderlands: Thinking through History, Race, and Belongings.” Nellie Chu, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at DKU, discussed the birth and rising popularity of synthetics, nylon in particular, following WWII. She mentioned the vision of synthetics being “[subordinate] nature using the power of science, capitalism, and industrial engineering.” Keping Wu, Associate Professor of Anthropology at DKU, explored the relationships between the Nu, Dulong, and Lisu peoples in Yunnan revolving around a dam construction project, noting the varied cultural, state, and religious perceptions of water in the region. Renee Richer, Associate Professor of Biology, introduced DKU alumni, Lorenzo Maggio Laquidara’s research on the accessibility and quality of urban greenspaces as it relates to minorities, immigration, gentrification and biodiversity.
The second keynote speech was by Brian Roberts, Professor of English from Brigham Young University, who presented on “Archipelagic Thinking and the Environmental Humanities.” The lecture showcased many pieces of archipelagic art, including Chris Jordan’s image of a baby Albatross’ remains among the plastic which had killed it. Roberts’s powerful lecture displayed vividly the impact of environmental humanities in demanding greater change from corporations and governments rather than letting the guilt lie on humans as individuals.
Following the second keynote was an illuminating faculty panel titled, “When Poetry meets Space and Chinese Modernity: The Tightrope of Confucianism, Children, and Buddhism.” Stephanie Anderson, Assistant Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at DKU, gave a short reading from her poetry book, Bearings, and a short story from the perspective of a whale titled, “The Winter’s Way,” illustrating the beauty and the significance of writing from the perspective of an anthropomorphized other to better empathize with the world that we live in. Ben Van Overmeire, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at DKU, explored how without leaving our campus, we can “[see] the whole universe” through the Buddhist philosophy of Alan Watts. Qian Zhu, Assistant Professor of Chinese History, presented on Chinese planned towns of the late 1920s and 30s, and how this split labor shaped livelihoods under the Nationalist’s idea of a Confucian doctrine of “great harmony.”
The launch of the new HRC HUM Space was celebrated that same afternoon, officiated by VCAA Professor Scott MacEachern and HRC Co-Directors, Selina Lai-Henderson and Carlos Rojas.
They expressed the excitement of the birth of HUM, and thanked former HRC Co-Director, Professor James Miller, for his invaluable contributions to the HRC. They welcomed faculty and students to explore the HUM Space for interdisciplinary and collaborative projects along with art exhibits, film screenings, creative readings, and performances.
The HUM exhibits include Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences, Binbin Li’s “Noticed,” a photograph exhibit curated by students, Sue Wang, Feiyang Zhou, Muqiu Tian, and Chengxi Yin, who bring closer angles of nature uncommon to the human perspective. 
In the center of HUM is a video installation, “Promise to Return,” inspired by Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences, Chi Yeung Jimmy Choi’s footage on bird migration, and reimagined and executed by the student curators, Davit Kavkasyan and Aastha Mangla. Finally, outside the HUM was an artwork by the student, Nick Nye’s “Hike Me,” that explores the relationship between nature and humankind.
The second day of the conference began with yet another remarkable keynote faculty panel, “Visualising Environmental Change.” Joseph Giacomelli, Assistant Professor of Environmental History at DKU, shared with the audience the history of cloud seeding across 20th century US. Professor Jimmy Choi examined migration patterns of waterbirds and their incredible natural instincts to predict weather change. Professor Binbin Li offered fascinating insights into rare moments of animals’ lives away from the urban scene, and brought to our attention the ways in which infrastructural advancements, including iconic glass-filled buildings at DKU, are in fact hazardous to birds’ existence and migration.
“Pedagogy for Sustainability: An Interdisciplinary Approach” was an afternoon keynote faculty panel discussing the innovative pedagogy and interdisciplinarity of DKU102, “Let’s Talk About Climate Change,” co-led by Professors James Miller, Coraline Goron, and Ding Ma. Professor Richer discussed diversifying topics to an interdisciplinary academic history and its impacts on the world of ecology and biology. Wumeng He, Assistant Professor of Economics at DKU, talked about the role of economics in environmentalism and how interdisciplinary studies would be crucial as environmental issues become more prevalent and unavoidable in every academic subject. Professor Giacomelli explored engaging students in environmental deliberation, what it takes to engage students with such a deep issue such as climate change, and the confirmation bias of students who are looking for environmental studies classes against the lacking interest from required courses on the subject.
Our third keynote speaker, Erika Weinthal, John O. Blackburn Distinguished Professor of Environmental Sciences and Policy at Duke University, gave a thought-provoking presentation on “Protecting the Environment and Infrastructure during War: Humanitarian Challenges.” A devastating earnest consideration was brought forth showing the brutalities of war on civilian infrastructure and its impacts on both the environment and on daily life for many of the subjects of sabotage. Weinthal showed the weaponization of water, and the power dispersion for those in control of fossil fuel production and the legacy of nuclear incidents.
The concluding faculty panel featured four NYUSH professors who shared with us their insights on “Artifice, Mud, Theater, and Christianity: Ecological Implications.” Anna Greenspan, Associate Professor of Global Contemporary Media and Co-Director of NYU Shanghai’s Center of AI and Culture, discussed the manipulations of greenspaces throughout history from colonial botanical gardens to zen gardens.
Jennifer Egloff, an interdisciplinary professor, pondered humanity’s complicated relationship of fear and sacrilege with environmental disasters from modern day disaster films to biblical reasonings around earthquakes. Erica Mukherjee, a professor of history, explored the universal metaphor of mud as anti-imperialistic actors; mud as beauty, mud as history, mud as preservation, fun, and danger, anthropomorphizing a world often overlooked under our feet which has fought battles we still fight today. Jennifer Nan Dong, a teaching fellow specializing in theater, discussed how theater can be a transformative tool in discussing environmental issues but also how form and content can be made to better suit environmental demands.
After two truly fruitful days of panel and keynote discussions, the HRC held a closing reception in the Water Pavilion, celebrating DKU professors’ achievements with their publications and creative works, which will be featured in the HUM Space following the end of the HRC Fall conference.
The Humanities Research Center would like to thank all the students and faculty that participated in this event. Thank you!
