Mythic Landscapes: Narratives of Belonging and Possibility

<strong>Centre for English Studies&nbsp; and Special Assistance Programme, CES, JNU&nbsp; and Indian Association for the Study of Australia.</strong> <strong>Lecture-Discussion</strong> <strong>Mythic Landscapes: Narratives of Belonging and Possibility</strong> by <strong>Dr Marcus Bussey</strong> Arts Research in the Creative Humanities University of the Sunshine Coast <strong>25 November 2016</strong> How do we find our place in this world? The Australian Aboriginals tell their story through the earth, it is in their bones. They follow their story – it is a cultural thing. Can we claim a story such as this? This talk explores the mythic in the personal as a way of finding our way back to Place: Our Place in this world. It begins with the work of the young British poet/novelist Kate Tempest who is exploring belonging in a mythic-urban environment that is simultaneously familiar, flawed and transcendent. It then moves to reflections on the cultural dilemma of modernity where we are all homeless in an anxious world that has lost its story. Marcus Bussey is a futurist and researcher with the arts Research in the Creative Humanity's Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast. He is interested in cultural processes that energise social transformation. He uses futures thinking to challenge the dominant beliefs and assumptions that constrain human responses to rapid cultural, social and technological change. Marcus has a fascination with the poetics of anticipation and its expression through heritage, myth and literature. His workshops, research and writing all focus on the quest for individual and collective empowerment and creative and hopeful pathways to the future. Marcus has held fellowships at Nanyang Technical University, Singapore and Tamkang University, Taiwan. He is currently Discipline Head of History and Program Leader in Futures Studies at his university.&nbsp; For more information on Marcus: http://www.usc.edu.au/explore/structure/faculty-of-arts-business-and-law/staff/dr-marcus-bussey