We are sorry to inform you that Mieke Bal (University of Amsterdam) and Michael Dillon (Lancaster University) had to cancel their talks. We are very pleased to let you know that we secured Paul Vanouse as a keynote speaker in their place.

The conference theme of Control invites participants to explore how notions of regulation, mastery, and constraint operate across literature, science, and the arts. In an age of digital surveillance, algorithmic governance, and biopolitical management, the question of who or what controls—and how control might be resisted or reimagined—has never been more urgent. Literary narratives have long grappled with dystopian visions of total control, while scientific discourse investigates everything from neural circuitry to ecological systems. The arts, in turn, offer spaces where control can be interrogated, subverted, and aestheticized. This gathering in Stockholm provides a vital forum for examining these intersecting concerns across disciplinary boundaries.

The keynote program brings together leading thinkers whose work bridges the humanities and the sciences. Paul Vanouse, who stepped in to replace cancelled speakers, is known for his innovative bioart practice that uses living organisms and laboratory techniques to challenge conventional boundaries between nature and culture. His work raises profound questions about control in biological systems and the ethics of genetic manipulation. Other keynote speakers contribute expertise ranging from visual culture to political theory, ensuring that the conference addresses control from multiple angles. Each keynote is designed to provoke dialogue and inspire new lines of inquiry among attendees from diverse academic and artistic backgrounds.

Interdisciplinarity lies at the heart of the European Society for Literature, Science and the Arts. The conference brings together scholars, artists, writers, and scientists who share a commitment to understanding how these fields inform and challenge one another. Rather than treating literature, science, and the arts as separate domains, the gathering emphasizes their entanglements and mutual influences. Sessions explore how scientific concepts travel into literary works, how artistic practices reshape scientific inquiry, and how cultural narratives influence technological development. This cross-pollination of ideas is essential for addressing complex contemporary issues that resist narrow disciplinary approaches.

Stockholm provides a fitting backdrop for a conference on control. The city is built across fourteen islands where water and land meet, creating a landscape shaped by natural forces and human engineering alike. Its history as a center of both technological innovation and cultural production mirrors the conference's core concerns. Participants will find themselves in a Nordic capital known for its design aesthetic, its commitment to sustainability, and its vibrant intellectual community. The June setting offers long daylight hours conducive to extended conversations and collaborative exchange. The urban environment itself becomes a participant in the dialogue, reminding attendees that control is always exercised within specific material and cultural contexts.