In today’s world, where every second counts, and the technology superhighway is attracting everyone to its ever-expanding lanes, the study of humanities seems to have been relegated to the backbenches. The question that bedevils many is: is the study of the humanities – and English as a discipline – obsolete? Do we need to justify the study and practice of literature, languages, and translation, as teachers and for the students? The answer to this question entails a re-exploration of how humanities can be given a new lease of life to go on impacting our lives the way technology and other non-humanities disciplines do.

With their two traditionally entrenched specialties of translation and teaching, Departments of English, are, as a substantial representative of the core of humanities, likewise in much need of being reinvigorated and to come once more to the fore as “real” and “academic”. They need at the same time to occupy their well-deserved niche among the disciplines that empower our graduates when they enter the fierce competition of landing the best work opportunities in the job market.

The purpose of this conference is therefore to re-examine the validity of humanities in general and Departments of English in particular, as the avenues that can put the human aspect of our lives again into perspective. The conference will look at ways in which how training students at Departments of English can empower them, as Gen 3 or even 4, to compete successfully in diverse areas and achieve excellence as well.