VIT Bhopal University Hosts An International Conference On Humanities
A two-day international conference on “Humanities and Beyond Humanities: A Critical Approach to Language, Literature, Media, and Management Studies (ICHBH – 2024)” was organized by the School of Advanced Sciences and Languages (SASL), English Division, VIT Bhopal University, M.P, India, in collaboration with AAB College, Prishtina, Republic of Kosova, academic partner Emerald Publishing, media partner Conference Alert. The Conference took place on the main campus of VIT Bhopal University on 21-22 November 2024. This intellectually inspiring event encompassed speeches and statements by University Professors coming from South America and other regions of India. A highlight of keynote speeches, discussions follow:
Prof. Benjamin Fernandez Bogado, a journalist and university Professor, Republic of Paraguay, addressed the growing concern of new technologies and how the world has become smaller and isolated, challenges faced by people along with the need of comprehending the sense of humanism and even more by excelling, going beyond humanities to live in a society.
In his speech, Prof. Benjamin Fernandez Bogado, stated: “The world has become even smaller, and people are more isolated in their individualism, and it must restore a reinvention of socialization, which is the only human experience that is new and distinctive from other living species. Fascinated by technology, we have lost closeness and social proximity. We must recover interpersonal communication and face-to-face dialogue, for the social good and for the very human dimension of these times.”
According to Fernandez Bogado, “Our life, in many cases reduced to algorithms capable of recognizing our tastes and tendencies, has served well to place commercial products and some politicians with greater success, in our daily lives. We have become spies of ourselves, as Byung-Chul Han, a South Korean-born philosopher and cultural theorist living in Germany, has defined very well. We are feeding a monster that, with artificial intelligence, is nothing other than the accumulation of data and information, but that has no feeling, does not project itself onto others, but rather strengthens the individual experience that does not require anyone else to develop this knowledge. An artificial intelligence that does not need anyone else to understand and to project itself. This indeed is a mistake.”
Fernandez Bogado noted that, “As never before, the failure of commercial globalization must lead us to reinvent a world with deeply ingrained values where we recognize ourselves in other people. Let us achieve what Hannah Arendt, a German American historian and philosopher, has stated: otherness. Putting ourselves in the dimension of the other in order to be the other. The new globalization cannot be reduced to the trade of products, it must be the human conquest in its projected dimension associated with the other.”
In the keynote session, Prof. Peter M. Tase, Chief Guest and Keynote speaker, from National University of the East (Universidad Nacional del Este), Ciudad del Este, Republic of Paraguay, addressed the challenges faced by humanism and social sciences, asserting that such international conferences revitalize research and promote understanding of these fields. He attended in present this conference.
Dr. Amitabh Kodwani, IIM Indore, emphasized the importance of integrating humanities and engineering. He explained that while both embrace different approaches to problem-solving, their convergence fosters new perspectives and better ways of living.
Dr. Sumit Narula, Emerald Publishing House, highlighted the growing significance of digital humanities, emphasizing its bright future. He stressed the need for humanities professionals to acquire coding knowledge, given the changing dynamics of education.
Prof. K.M. Pandey, BHU, Varanasi, delved into the philosophical and practical aspects of life, underscoring the importance of self-inquiry and balance.
Prof. Dr. Robert H. Bishop, Vice Chancellor for Engineering, The Texas A&M University System and Dean of Engineering (Texas A&M University), USA, was the Guest of Honor who joined (Online). Other keynote speakers were Dr. Jeton Kelmendi, Convener of the Conference from AAB College, Prishtina, he is also Academic Professor, AAB College, Pristina, Kosovo, (joined Online); Venera Kabashi – Llunji (Vice Rector for International Affairs and Cooperation and Assistant Professor at AAB College, Prishtina, Kosova).
Dr. Venera Llunji delivered a statement on the role of the media in modern society and touched upon the current regional security situation in Southeastern Europe.
Around 150 research scholars and academicians around the world participated and presented their research papers on multiple themes like language, literature, international relations, media and management studies.
This author, Dr. Dev Brat Gupta, was moderator of the conference from VIT Bhopal University, M.P., India, Assistant Professor, VIT Bhopal University, addressed the gathering by welcoming them and giving the key introductory thrusts, rationale of the conference followed by objectives and themes of the conference.
Dr. Vinod Bhatt, Convener of the conference from VIT Bhopal University, M.P., India, Associate Professor, VIT Bhopal University, delivered the statement of thanks to all the delegates who came from in and around the globe followed by the fruitfulness of the conference and shared the conclusion and final thoughts of the conference.
The conference was conducted by the School of Advanced Sciences and Languages, English Division, VIT Bhopal University, M.P, India, in collaboration with AAB College, Pristina, Republic of Kosova, academic partner Emerald Publishing, media partner Conference Alert. Dr. Vinod Bhatt, Dr. Dev Brat Gupta from VIT Bhopal University and Dr. Jeton Kelmendi, Dr. Venera Llunji from AAB College, Pristina, were the main organizers and hosts of this international event.