Neither Dystopia Nor Melancholia: Imagining Convivial Futures

Few times in history have disputes over the future become as central to politics as they are today. Oversimplifying a broad and diverse debate, at least two competing visions of the future dominate contemporary discussions.

On the one hand, scholars and political actors, driven by “postcolonial melancholia” (Paul Gilroy), seek to restore a supposedly lost liberal order reaffirming the alleged virtues of Western modernity as the cradle of democracy, human rights, and peaceful coexistence. They just ignore both the globally entangled character of modernity and its evident connections to colonialism, slavery, the climate crisis, and brutal wars. On the other hand, tech oligarchs and far-right politicians disseminate dystopian visions of a future irremediably marked by civilizational clashes, social fragmentation, and widespread devastation.

Looking at activism and scholarship in fields such as Indigenous, Queer, and critical migration studies and movements, a third strand becomes visible. Although internally diverse, actors and researchers in these fields articulate persistent struggles for alternative futures characterized by convivial forms of living together in difference, involving not only humans but also more-than-human beings and environments. Rather than romanticizing existing forms of suffering and injustice, these perspectives emphasize the collective imagination of different futures as an imperative for overcoming the past and surviving in the present.

We warmly invite contributions to this session and welcome both papers addressing major debates on dystopian and melancholic futures and contributions that explore emerging discussions and practices of convivial futures.