Life Narrative in Unprecedented Times: Writing the Unexpected, Narrating the Future

The pandemic has functioned as a reminder of the importance of life storying and testimony as records of experience, as information sharing, or as creative engagement. This conference explores the ways momentous events shape life narration in the past, now, and for the future, for instance, the role of journalism in circulating personal stories, understanding of the impacts of mental health, and a renewed engagement in family and community histories. Each of these themes has been particularly notable during COVID-19.

This conference aims to address life narratives at unprecedented times, but also examine how life narrative is located by recent histories in diverse contexts and temporality.

The conference will be held online and a Zoom link will be circulated to those who register to attend.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers:

Associate Professor Kylie Cardell, Flinders University, Australia
Professor L. Ayu Saraswati, University of Hawai'i, Hawai'i
Dr Shannon Sandford, Griffith University, Australia
André Dao, Melbourne, Australia

Organising Committee:

Associate Professor Kylie Cardell, Flinders University; Dr Marina Deller, Flinders University; Professor Kate Douglas, Flinders University; Dr Emma Maguire, JCU; Dr Shannon Sandford, Griffith University.

IABA Asia-Pacific emerges from the central disciplinary association for auto/biography scholars—The International Auto/Biography Association (IABA). IABA was founded in 1999 as a multidisciplinary network that aims to deepen the cross-cultural understanding of self, identity and experience, and to carry on global dialogues about life writing/narrative. IABA Asia-Pacific aims to foster new region-specific conversations and to encourage regional participation in the global IABA conference. Our goal is to develop scholarly networks between life narrative scholars and practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region that support the circulation and publication of high-quality life narrative theory, practice, and pedagogy.

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Header image by Dr Marina Deller

The 5th IABA Asia-Pacific Conference