On 25–26 September 2025, the Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Center in Paris hosted the third symposium devoted to the legacy of writer Joseph Conrad-Korzeniowski, entitled ‘The Resonance of Joseph Conrad-Korzeniowski in Contemporary Culture’. The symposium brought together an international group of researchers who analysed and discussed the relevance of Joseph Conrad’s work in the context of literature, film, graphic novels and performative media.
The presentations dealt with, among other things, Conrad’s influence on postcolonial literature (Robert Hampson, Jan B. Gordon), autobiographical cinema (Michel Arouimi), youth literature (Sylwia Wojciechowska), Japanese manga (Kaoru Yamamoto), graphic novels (Ellen B. Harrington, Agnieszka Adamowicz-Pośpiech), visual maps (Nathalie Martinière), as well as Polish theatre adaptations (Karol Samsel). The event also featured a screening and analysis of the film Hadí Plyn by Czech director David Jařab, which reinterprets Heart of Darkness in the context of contemporary migration.
The presentations highlighted the universality of the themes addressed by Conrad – moral ambiguity, alienation, colonial violence and individual responsibility – and their relevance in the context of globalisation, migration and social crises. The importance of Conrad as a transnational writer whose work inspires ethical and artistic reflection in the 21st century was also emphasised. The symposium enabled the exchange of experiences between researchers from Poland, France, Japan, the USA and the UK, strengthening international cooperation and promoting Poland’s contribution to research on Conrad’s legacy. A post-conference publication summarising the contributions of the researchers present at the symposium is planned.
