Rutgers Comp Lit graduate students participated in the 2026 Northeast Modern Language Association (NEMLA) Conference held in Pittsburgh, presenting their research across a range of panels. Representing multiple cohorts, they shared their work on topics spanning literature, film, and critical theory and engaging with questions of translation, readership, diaspora and affective memories, consumerism, and more.<\/p>\n
Among all the participants, Roni Lakin (featured in the photo), a member of our first-year cohort, presented \u201cLas sonrisas tienen dientes: Consumo, producci\u00f3n y mujeres can\u00edbales en Fruta podrida<\/em>\u201d as part of the panel \u201cAwakening Monsters in Latin America: From Eco-horror to Tech Doom.\u201d His presentation explored the use of both literal and metaphorical cannibalism in Lina Meruane\u2019s novel, Fruta Podrida<\/em>. By highlighting moments of rebellious consumption, this analysis demonstrated how the figure of the cannibal allows Meruane to critique global patterns of consumption under neoliberal capitalism. He was especially excited to attend a special presentation by Meruane herself, who was a featured speaker at the conference.<\/p>\n All the RU Comp Lit participants\u2019 panels and papers are listed as follows:<\/p>\n Roni Lakin, <\/strong><\/p>\n Panel \u201cAwakening Monsters in Latin America: From Eco-horror to Tech Doom,\u201d<\/p>\n Paper title: \u201cLas sonrisas tienen dientes: Consumo, producci\u00f3n y mujeres can\u00edbales en Fruta Podrida<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n In\u00eas Monteiro, <\/strong><\/p>\n Panel \u201cGenerational Divides in French Literary and Cinematic Arts–Women in French,\u201d<\/p>\n