News

“Hush! Practicing Silence in Literature and Culture”
FRIAS, University of Freiburg, Germany | April 15-17, 2026
Organisers: Anne Rüggemeier & Sophia Philomena Wolf

Silence has always been part of conversation, part of storytelling, and a part of speech. It constitutes an ambiguous presence that looms large in literatures across space and time as well as in cultural products such as film, comics, and games, on digital platforms, and in political discourse. Silence (and its breaking) can draw attention to ‘silencings’ in the form of oppression and censorship (exemplified by the women behind the #MeToo movement), the underrepresentation of minority groups, or the invisibility of systemic inequalities. However,
silence also has positive connotations – for example, when it is utilized as a means of resistance or empowerment, as an alternative mode of expression, or as a tool for introspection and deceleration.

The conference starts from the premise that literature and other cultural products function as means by which silence materializes. As a result, its ambivalent effects are newly negotiated. We seek to explore various forms and affordances of silence in Anglophone literatures and media, addressing the intentions, drawbacks, and potentialities implicated in instances and mediations of silence. 

See the full Call for Papers here: Call-for-Papers_Hush.
Check out also the dedicated page on the FRIAS website.