Bahamian poet and scholar Patricia Glinton-Meicholas offered insight on how literature can help foster positive societal development, especially in a digital age where content in the virtual space is not always enriching.

Glinton-Meicholas delivered the opening lecture for the University of The Bahamas (UB) Sixth Blue Flamingo Literary Festival held recently at the Oakes Field Campus.

The School of English Studies hosts the festival as a platform to promote the literary arts and to engender a deep appreciation for reading as well as advance literary production and the creation of a sizeable Bahamian corpus.

Glinton-Meicholas presented a thought-provoking lecture entitled, "Literature as Windows on Societal Development: From Human Agency to Algorithms." She emphasized the importance of literature in providing a deeper understanding of society, enabling the prediction of societal shifts, and proposing remedial measures when things fall apart.

"And we know they do fall apart," she said.

"Where can we find insights to drive the next stage of our independence journey that will contribute far more to the soundness of our people, and the national balance sheet? I suggest we look purposefully and seriously to literature. My life and work are substantially based on the conviction that literature is not escapism, as some will tell you, there is real value to be derived from its study," she said.

Glinton-Meicholas urged the audience to ponder whether the national 50th anniversary celebrations will produce lasting human benefits and solutions for the nation's complex issues, such as poverty, familial disintegration, youth self-destruction, violent crime, and illegal immigration. Other aspects explored during the lecture included the complexities of Bahamian identity and the critical role of literature in shaping it, and the enduring impact of slavery and colonialism.

Glinton-Meicholas also addressed increasing youth violence, noting that society's response is oftentimes based on reaction and coercion rather than focusing on prevention that effectively addresses root causes. She cited the influence of the internet and social media on socialization, particularly for youth who are rabid users as the content is "largely not curated for virtue except for algorithms that don't care whether they enrich or not."

Casting the spotlight on Bahamian oral tradition and the works of writers and poets, like Cheryl Albury and Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming, Glinton-Meicholas referred to the power of literature in revealing the resilience and agency of the Bahamian people despite their history of subjugation.

She expressed concern that the nation's educational system did not provide ample time and resources for the promotion of higher cognitive domain learning and the development of beneficial emotional intelligence. She noted that quality formative education, life-enhancing socialization processes, and societal structures are critical in the fight against tribalism, racial and economic divides, patriarchalism, and misogyny on policy-making and practices.

"More and more in our homeland our symbols, policymaking and practices are mediated and encumbered by tribalism, racial, economic, political and social, as strong a patriarchalism and an incipient theology, which feed misogyny and various other biases that withhold equity and equality of rights to women and those Bahamians of alternative lifestyles, inhibiting their economic, social and political entitlements and roles.

"That is something we tend to always take the lid off because it is so destructive to our society, to our lives, to our ability to make real good progress," she said.

Glinton-Meicholas praised UB for establishing the Blue Flamingo Literary Festival, acknowledging its vital role in fostering thoughtful introspection during this significant period in Bahamian history. She also commended the efforts of the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training in publishing a forward-looking history book for secondary schools and a national anthology of short stories to enhance the way Bahamians understand their identity and history. She highlighted a story by Donvaria Duncombe's "The C Gene" – a Bahamian dystopia set in the 2080s.

UB's School of English Studies hosted the Blue Flamingo Literary Festival which this year is part of the national celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Bahamian Independence.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian