RUICHSS 2021

“Nor did I deem that your decrees were of such force that a mortal could override the unwritten and unfailing statutes of heaven.” Were the words of Antigone to Creon when being questioned on performing funeral rites on her brother’s corpse violating the edict of Creon. Her firm belief in the “law beyond the law” led her to achieve such a powerful act. Those beliefs have been the source of energy for humans throughout civilisation to survive, depend on, face challenges, and move forward whenever the manmade reality was shattered. They provided the ideals of humanity beyond humanity. Crossing the boundary of being a mere health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has created socio-cultural issues at a deeper level shattering not only the manufactured reality but perhaps the “unwritten and unfailing statutes of heaven,” the reality beyond the manmade reality. In short, it has opened up an age of a new normal in which we are forced to rethink everything that used to be ‘normal.’ As such, the new normal has confronted human societies with new challenges while also offering new opportunities. While not denying that the medical sciences and science and technology, in general, are the immediate fields of attention, humanities and social sciences have been forced to deal with the long-lasting socio-cultural changes brought about by the new normal. The next hundred years would perhaps be the years of humanities and social sciences for a rigorous reworking on life and society. If the “learning” process dominated by the science and technology discourse has reached its limits, perhaps the next hundred years demand an “unlearning” led by humanities and social sciences. In this context, the 7th Ruhuna University International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences (RUICHSS) provides a platform for researchers in humanities and social sciences worldwide to share their ideas, thoughts, and findings on socio-cultural concerns of the new normal.

The conference will be held on a physical cum virtual platform. Presenters may select the mood of the presentation. If submitted, selected full papers will be published in the Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Review.