The parasite is often depicted as a purely negative, destructive or undesirable figure, defined as an unwanted guest feeding off its host while contributing nothing in return. From biological, economic to socio-cultural and geo-political discourses, parasites are perceived as contaminants or risks that have to be controlled, managed or eradicated. From the viral, bacterial threats to our food and bodies, to the migrant labourer and “benefit thieves” – figures of the parasite have never been so stigmatized in modern society.

Yet increasingly, research from different disciplines has pointed to alternative ways of conceiving the parasitic relationship (even if not termed as such). If parasitism, understood as a way of being alongside each other, as its etymology denotes, is the basis for all relationships (biological, economical, social and political) and hence transformation, then the implication is that this dependency is not unidirectional but mutually dependent. It is our interest to investigate the wider significance and applicability of the logic and to look at the constitutive role the parasite plays in its wider environment.

This one day workshop seeks to bring together people working in different fields to apply, challenge and play with the

logic from different perspectives. From evolutionary sciences (e.g. Lynn Margulis theory on endosymbiosis), to economics, philosophy, cultural studies and geography, we welcome all who are interested in crossing the disciplinary boundary to contribute and take from each other, or to borrow from Serres, “the parasite parasites the parasites” (2007:55).

Suggested topics (not limited to):* Socio-parasitism (migrant workers, asylum seekers, ethnic minorities),* Spatial-parasitism (hawkers, markets, public spaces),* Economic-parasitism (remittances, free/cheap labour),* Research-parasitism (researcher and field),* Biological parasitism (microbes, parasitology), * Agricultural parasitism.

Individual papers or panel proposals are welcome. Please e-mail your full name, affiliation and topic abstract to Rosalyn and Daisy by 5th May 2013. Papers should be 20min long. Conference papers will be published.

Dr. Daisy Tam <daisytam@hkbu.edu.hk>Rosalyn Lenlen Mesina <lenlenmesina@gmail.com>

TRANSFORMING THE PARASITE -AN INTERDISCIPLINARY ONE-DAY WORKSHOPMonday June 3rd 2013 - Hong Kong Baptist University

Department of Humanities& Creative Writing

Call for papers