Speculative Play & Just Futurities Public Lecture: Dr. Kanika Batra

Black Freedom from Selma to Soweto examines women’s leadership in 1960s–70s student movements, revealing their vital role in racial and gender equality in the U.S. and South Africa.  Join the IU Indianapolis Arts and Humanities Institute on August 19, 2025, 6:30pm at Indiana Humanities for a public lecture with Dr. Kanika Batra, their August 2025 scholar in residence with the Speculative Play and Just Futurities program.

Although Selma and Soweto are the most famous markers of two globally inspirational struggles for racial equality in the last half of the twentieth century, the movements themselves are known largely through the lives and ideas of a few charismatic leaders. Charting multiple forms of leadership and influence, movement participants, historians, social scientists, and novelists has revised this focus on male leaders, exclusion of women’s roles, and the perception that South African student activists borrowed their ideas from those in the United States.

Dr. Kanika Batra is Professor of English and Affiliate Faculty in Women’s Studies at Texas Tech University. She researches and teaches transnational feminist and queer studies, globalization, urbanization, postcolonial and comparative literature. She the author of Caribbean Poetry: Derek Walcott and Edward Brathwaite (2001), Feminist Visions and Queer Futures in Postcolonial Drama (2011), and Worlding Postcolonial Sexualities: Publics, Counterpublics, Human Rights (2022), winner of the 2020 National Women’s Studies Association award in Subversive Histories and Feminist Futures.

Information about Kanika Batra’s artwork and creative research is available at kanikabatra.com.

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Please be advised that this workshop will explore subjects related to race, violence, and identity. These discussions might include sensitive content that could be distressing or triggering for some participants. We encourage all attendees to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being and feel free to step away from the session if needed.

The Speculative Play and Just Futurities (SPJF) program leverages narrative storytelling and creative worldbuilding in speculative writing and design, including science fiction, fantasy, gaming, and new digital media like virtual reality, to challenge oppression and reimagine our world. It focuses on creating forums for discussing and theorizing literature to envision just futures. Central to SPJF is a residency for emerging scholars and creators, fostering intellectual and creative growth. SPJF also hosts weekly colloquia for students and faculty, featuring resident interactions and collaborative learning opportunities. Speculative Play and Just Futurities is made possible through the generous support of the Mellon Foundation. SPJF is a collaboration between the IU Indianapolis Arts and Humanities Institute, the Center for Africana Studies and Culture, and the Ray Bradbury Center. Learn more about the SPJF residency by visiting our website: www.SPJF.org