Ngā Wai a Te Tūī Invited Scholar Series
Perfect Organisms?
Microbe-Human Relationships in Literature and Art
Dr Davina Höll – Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen Center for Gender and Diversity Research (Germany)
We share our bodies with 40–100 trillion microorganisms—our microbiome. While microbes often evoke thoughts of disease and dirt, recent research reveals their vital role in our physical and mental well-being. This talk explores how literature and art have long imagined the microbial world, challenging our understanding of the human self and its autonomy.
At the intersection of literary studies, medical humanities, and environmental thought, this presentation asks:
• What can literature and art reveal about the microbial world within and around us?
• How do they reflect, critique, or reimagine our more-than-human relationships?
• What are the limitations of a literary history of microbes?
🗓 Date: Monday, 23rd June 2025 Time: 12.30pm – 1.30pm (NZST)
Location: Ngā Wai a Te Tūī Boardroom, Unitec
Online: Or join via Microsoft Teams
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 442 975 562 950
Passcode: 6TB7yG3W
All welcome – scholars, students, and curious minds alike!
Light refreshments provided
For more information contact: Associate Professor Deb Heke dheke@unitec.ac.nz