The Ecology of Dune

Deadline: December 15, 2022
Contact: Damon Franke, Professor, USM Gulf Coast
Email: Damon.Franke@usm.edu
Phone: 228-214-3361

Panel proposed at the 2023 ASLE + AESS Conference: “Reclaiming the Commons”
July 9–12, 2023 in Portland, Oregon

To anticipate the fall 2023 premiere of Denis Villeneuve’s completion of his film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel, this pre-formed panel seeks papers that examine the ecology of the novel and/or adaptations of Dune. On Dune in 10,000 years, the planetary ecologist Liet Kynes hears the voice of his dead father reminding him that the “highest function of ecology is understanding consequences,” and that he “must cultivate ecological literacy among the people.” Papers could analyze Herbert’s novel, the first part of Villeneuve’s adaptation, or David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation in isolation or combination, and they could focus on the nature of a planetary commons, analogies between oil and the spice mélange, the adaptation of people to their place, or the filmic adaptation of adaptation. The panel seeks to generate active and engaged discussion of the commons of the fictitious planet that bears on ours. Papers might discuss the symbiotic ecosystems of the planet Arrakis, the adaptation of its people, the study of ecology on the planet, gender roles and environmental questions, the colonial exploitation of natural resources, or the influence of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring on Herbert’s novel. What are the commons of Arrakis, and how do the Fremen care for them? What are the relational modes of the Gaia hypothesis at work there? What does the novel teach us about how “ways change” in learning to live sustainably with our planetary commons? How do the casting changes and musical scores of the films contribute to these issues? To what degree and to what effect is the ecology of the novel translated to the screen?

Please send 250-300 word presentation abstracts to Damon.Franke@usm.edu by December 15, 2022.

Posted on October 11, 2022