Michaelmas Term 2025
CO-CREATING CODE: Ethics, Knowledge and Culture in the Age of AI
Time: Tuesday 14 October, 4–6pm
Venue: Barbara White Room, Newnham College, University of Cambridge
Description: Professor Mander (MMLL) will be in conversation with Dr Tim Hearn (Department of Medical Genetics), Rev Imogen Nay (Bishop’s Advisor for Climate) and Owen Tudor (former Deputy General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation) to explore the implications of AI for our understanding of care ethics.
Dr Chiara Quaranta (University of Edinburgh)
Title: The Bright Night of Images: On the Black Screen in French Cinema
Time: Monday 20 October, 5:15pm
Venue: McCrum Lecture Theatre, Corpus Christi College, Bene’t Street, Cambridge
Description: French cinema seems obsessed with images on the edge of visibility. In this talk, Dr Quaranta explores the “black screen” as a radical image that resists narrative containment and holds the viewer in fascination. Drawing on Maurice Blanchot, Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault, she redefines the black screen as the bright night of representation — an opaque space of meaning and feeling that invites viewers to ask: is there anything not to see?
Organised by: Modern French Research Seminar (Wilfred Skinner, Samuel Buchoul, Ry Montgomery)
For queries: sjmb5@cam.ac.uk / rjm250@cam.ac.uk / wmrs3@cam.ac.uk
Welcome Reception for Prof Stéphane Martelly
Time: Thursday 23 October, 5:15–6:45pm
Venue: Barbara White Room, Newnham College
Description: A welcome reception for Professor Stéphane Martelly, part of the Année haïtienne celebrations. All colleagues and students are warmly invited to join.
Haitian Year in Cambridge (Année haïtienne)
Time: 23–29 October 2025
Organisers: Hugo Azerad, Charles Forsdick, Emma Wilson, Doyle Calhoun, and others
Venue: Various locations across the University
Link: mmll.cam.ac.uk
Description: The Faculty and the French Section are celebrating Haiti through an Année haïtienne — a tribute to the literature, culture and thought through which the nation continues to dream itself into being. The celebration features Herns Marcelin, Stéphane Martelly and Jean d’Amérique through lectures, performances and workshops.
Book Display – Haitian Poetry and Art
Time: Friday 24 October, 3–4pm
Venue: Glass Room, Rare Books, University Library
Description: A special display of rare books and materials on Haitian poetry and art at the University Library, organised as part of the Année haïtienne events.
Symposium – Mourir est beau
Time: Saturday 25 October, 2–6pm
Venue: Fellows Dining Room, Murray Edwards College
Description: A half-day symposium exploring Haitian literature, visual arts and thought through the theme Mourir est beau (“To die is beautiful”), part of the Année haïtienne celebration.
Tresser la ligne – Prof Stéphane Martelly
Time: Monday 27 October
Venue: TBC
Description: Lecture and performance by Professor Stéphane Martelly, taking place as part of the Année haïtienneprogramme.
Translation Symposium – Équateur magnétique
Time: Wednesday 29 October, 5–7:30pm
Venue: Cripps Seminar Room, Magdalene College
Description: A translation-focused event continuing the Haitian Year in Cambridge, exploring literary, philosophical and cultural translations through the theme Équateur magnétique.
Irene Fabry-Tehranchi, Barbara Mikuła & Michał Pawlikowski
Title: A medieval Merlin fragment rediscovered: digitisation, analysis and edition
Time: Friday 7 November 2025
Venue: Milstein Room, University Library
Organised by: Cambridge Bibliographical Society
Dr Sheela Mahadevan (University of Liverpool)
Title: Writing between Languages: translating multilingual literatures, composing multilingual translations
Time: Wednesday 12 November, 4–5pm
Venue: RFB 142
Description: Examines the creative challenges of translating multilingual literature and producing multilingual translations, exploring translation as a form of writing between languages.
Conference – La Noire de … at 60
Time: 12–14 November
Venue: TBC
Description: An international conference marking the 60th anniversary of Ousmane Sembène’s La Noire de … (1966). The event brings together scholars and filmmakers to discuss its global legacy and its connections to French and Francophone cinema.
Film Screening – La Noire de …
Time: Friday 14 November
Venue: TBC
Description: A screening to accompany the La Noire de … at 60 conference, followed by a discussion on the film’s enduring importance to postcolonial and Francophone cinema.
Workshop and Introductory Session on Creole Languages
Time: Thursday 13 November (10am) – Friday 14 November
Venue: Newnham College & online (hybrid)
Description: Contact, Ideology and Change in Creole, Minority and Endangered Language Contexts workshop, preceded by an introductory session on Creole languages led by Hannah Davidson and Tejshree Auckle (University of Mauritius).
Registration: forms.office.com/e/a9cw1twz1w
A–Z Cambridge Libraries: Francophone Databases Training
Time: Tuesday 25 November, 1–2pm
Venue: RFB 106
Description: In-person training session for staff and students on Francophone databases. Please bring your laptop.
Christina Howells on Catherine Malabou
Time: Monday 17 November
Venue: McCrum Lecture Theatre, Corpus Christi College
Description: Professor Christina Howells will discuss the philosophical work of Catherine Malabou, exploring subjectivity, plasticity and transformation.
Jonathan Fardy on Laruelle
Time: Monday 24 November (online)
Description: A talk by Jonathan Fardy on François Laruelle’s non-standard philosophy and its implications for art and theory.
Professor A. James Arnold (University of Virginia)
Title: The Dynamics of French Caribbean Identity
Time: Tuesday 2 December, 5–7pm
Venue: Old Combination Room, Trinity College
Description: Explores the formation and evolution of French Caribbean identity across literature, history and postcolonial thought.
