I have been a regular attendee to materia for the last three or four years, since the Research (now Focal) Unit relaunched its activity in 2017. As a student not previously engaged in (new) materialist approaches, materia has provided me with a unique space for in depth exploration of related lines of investigation and for bringing anthropocentric thinking to my own research.

Laura MenéndezPhD Candidate - Iberian and Latin American Cultures

So far, materia events have been some of the most interesting and engaging conversations I’ve experienced at Stanford […] It’s my first year, so I’m a little bit shy and just trying to get through my coursework, but I hope I’ll be able to become a more involved participant with materia over the next few years.

Matthew GilbertPhD Student - Department of Music

materia has allowed me to approach post-anthropocentric thought for the first time, not only from a literary or philosophical perspective but also from an artistic and material one. In this sense, materia gave me the opportunity to attend fascinating talks […] After my attendance I feel more prepared to understand material cultures from multiple and productive perspectives.

Òscar FerrerPhD Student - Iberian and Latin American Cultures

materia‘s events were once again thought-provoking and stimulating in the ways they crossed perspectives and disciplines […] I see my understanding of the changes in thinking implied by our current environmental crises advance to a more nuanced and mature level with the group’s recent focus on political ecologies, informed by such disciplines as Law, History, and Literary and Art Criticism.

João G. L. VianaPhD Student - Iberian and Latin American Cultures