Dear Colleagues of AAS,
We are organizing a panel on modernism and the nonhuman for AAS 2026.
Our three panelists work with texts that engage the Manchurian taiga in the Sino-Russian-Japanese borderland, the tropical forests and cultural identities of the South Seas, and aquatic life and evolutionary theory in modern China - an evocative tapestry that already speaks to the rich presence of nonhuman ecologies in transnational Sinophone literature. Reading texts featuring forests and deforestation, blind cave fish, and totemic animals, the panel explores how transnational ecological knowledge flows, colonialism, localness, and translocalism inform the form and style of modern writing. With this exciting lineup, we hope to highlight an underexplored yet enchanting aspect of Sinophone literature and to spark conversations that connect lived experience, environmental humanities, and the diverse historical conditions of modernity.
We hope to welcome one more panelist on board. If you are interested in joining us, please send a short bio (150 words) and a brief project description (200 words) to man8@jhu.edu.
We are also looking for a chair and a discussant, at the faculty level. If you are interested in serving in either role, please email me at man8@jhu.edu. I am happy to share more details and send over the paper abstracts via email.
Wishing everyone the best in finding the right panel match and a productive, inspiring conference experience. See you in Vancouver!
Best,
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Dr. Mengqi (Mercy) An
Visiting Assistant Professor of Asian Studies, Colorado College
Ph.D. in Comparative Thought and Literature, Johns Hopkins University
✉️ man8@jhu.edu
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