The Centre for Climate Emergency Studies is a transdisciplinary and transversal platform for research, education and action related to the climate emergency. Run primarily by researchers from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Linnaeus University in Sweden, the centre organizes seminars, reading groups and other events, develops educational courses and modules relevant to its field of study, and instigates collaborative projects with external partners focussing on climate related actions and agencies.
Activities
The activities of the Centre for Climate Emergency Studies include seminar series exploring different aspects and dimensions of the climate emergency, a number of smaller close reading groups on specific themes, and an in-process compilation of texts, films, audio recordings and other resources making up an expanding set of Climate Emergency Studies literatures. Furthermore, the group seeks to participate in the public debate around the contemporary climate emergency and the different forms of action it involves in a proactive fashion. Pedagogical activities and collaborative projects of different kinds, including experimental prototype modules and courses in Climate Emergency Studies, are also being planned.
About
Universities, nation states and local municipalities around the world, and even Pope Francis, have declared a “climate emergency”. Despite such dramatic proclamations, business as usual is the most widespread response to the scientists’ climate warnings.
The general purpose of Climate Emergency Studies is to investigate this potentially catastrophic gap between dramatic declarations from influential representatives on the one hand, and a relative passivity among political, educational and industrial sectors on the other hand; a gap, that is, between declarations based on scientific knowledge versus concrete mitigating action.
Focusing on higher education, Climate Emergency Studies aspire to explore the emerging ground that comes with an understanding of the climate emergency, its complexity, causes and impacts, and the multifaceted space for action and agency it requires us to construct in order that the current discrepancy between isolated knowledges and spaces for action and agency be bridged.
The project steering group consists of Ida Bencke (curator, publisher, researcher at Laboratory of Aesthetics and Ecology), Jørgen Bruhn (comparative literature/IMS) Åsa Nilsson-Skåve (comparative literature, Lnu) and Martin Gren (Geography, Lnu): group coordinator is Ola Ståhl (artist / Design, Lnu).
The activities of the Centre for Climate Emergency Studies is generously supported by the Council for Education and Learning at Linnaeus University.
Seminar Series and Reading Groups
Critical Zones
A reading group exploring the exhibition and publication Critical Zones (eds / curators Bruno Latour and Peter Weibel). Taking as its point of departure, the introductions to the eight parts of the book / exhibition, the reading groups will explore the diverse contents based on specific themes, bringing in other references and cases relevant specifically …
Mobilization and Empowerment
A seminar series exploring different engagements with the climate emergency from the perspective of mobilization and empowerment. What spaces for action and agency are available to us, within and across specific sectors, institutions, organizations and disciplines? Where do we find sites and practices for change making relevant to the climate emergency? What methods, pedagogies, therapeutics, …
Contact
Centre for Climate Emergency Studies
c/o Ola Ståhl, Department of Design
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Linnaeus University
Box 451
351 95 Växjö
Sweden
Telephone: +46 (0) 470 – 70 80 66
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