‘Literature is our compass in a turbulent world’
Inaugural lecture
Literature – and films and social media too – helps us understand ourselves and society. That makes literary studies an eternally modern discipline, especially if you dare to combine it with other disciplines, says Nidesh Lawtoo.
Nidesh Lawtoo is Professor of Modern/Contemporary European Literature and Culture, but anyone listening to his inaugural lecture on Friday 14 November will realise that this Leiden University professor does not like to be limited. Over the years he has expanded his discipline to include various fields and perspectives. ‘It’s also about culture,’ says Lawtoo, who originally comes from Switzerland. ‘For me, it’s not a big step from literature to film or politics, for example. Each discipline has its own grammar and conventions, but once you master them, you can understand where thoughts and ideas come from, and that improves your ability to critique and analyse.’
The past as a mirror
That’s why Lawtoo’s books, lectures and research are strewn with references to literature, philosophy and social sciences. ‘Literature acts as a compass in a turbulent world. It’s an inextricable part of our culture, in a very practical and engaging way. A good text from the past also reflects on the present, but you do need to know what to look out for. For me, it’s not about students knowing writers and philosophers for the sake of knowing them; it's about using them as a mirror.’
This mirror is a recurrent theme in Lawtoo’s work. He is one of the founders of memetic studies, in which as homo mimeticus, humans tend to mimic behaviour. This mimicry shapes thoughts, behaviour and desires. ‘Mimesis is not a new idea – it goes back to the ancient Greeks. But it always returns, in different forms, times and contexts. Mimicry doesn’t mean that people endlessly repeat the same thing – imitation can be original and creative, helping humanity advance. Education is also a mimetic activity; we learn through imitation.’
Philosophy and literature: fantastic combination
The mirror in literature obviously has a role in Lawtoo’s inaugural lecture. He refers to Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass (the sequel to Alice in Wonderland), in which Alice steps through a mirror into a parallel world. He too is looking in a mirror because it was after reading Alice in Wonderland that he wrote his first essay as a student in Lausanne and discovered his love of interdisciplinary research. ‘As I wrote it, I realised that philosophy and literature were not in contrast but formed a fantastic combination.’
‘It also helped that the programme in Switzerland didn’t expect me to specialise early on. I could study literary studies, philosophy and social sciences as a package. Later, I did my PhD in comparative literary studies in the United States, and there too the discipline was a mix of literature, philosophy and social sciences. Film studies added a media element.’
Flexible and relevant studies
Lawtoo feels fortunate at LUCA (Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society) in Leiden. ‘It’s a unique place where art, literature and social engagement meet, exactly the driving forces behind my academic career.
‘Interdisciplinarity allows us to remain plastic. And that’s important in these rapidly changing times. Literary studies are still relevant; they’re not relics from the past. Whether this means books or the modern forms such as social media and AI, they’re all looking glasses.’
Nidesh Lawtoo ‘s inaugural lecture ‘Dodo Through the Looking-Glass: A mirror to modern and contemporary culture’, will be held on 14 November in the Academy Building in Leiden and can also be watched live on the Leiden University website.