Environmental Photography and Humanities Symposium

via Ecomedia Studies

“Environmental Photography and Humanities – Contributions to Research and Awareness”

An international symposium held at Valand Academy 23-24 April 2015. All are welcome, please register by email to foto@akademinvaland.gu.se

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY SYMPOSIUM
– in collaboration with the Hasselblad Foundation

“Environmental Photography and Humanities: Contributions to Research and Awareness”
23 – 24 April 2015
The Aula at Valand Academy, Vasagatan 50

This symposium aim to bring together cross disciplinary questions, practices and studies within humanities, social sciences, art and the natural sciences regarding aspects of perceptions of the land, how nature has been valued and used and how human activities and cultures act as part of, or against earths eco-­system and the future consequences of those different approaches.

Shifting cultural views has over time through exploration, exploitation and colonisation and shifting political focus, changed not only ideas and perceptions of the natural world but also the relation with terrestrial and marine areas and its inhabitants.

The current state of the earth is critical with the remaining pockets of natural resources being explored with possible consequences ranging from a massive extinction of animal species and ecological disasters to acts of war between competing nations and large migrations due to lack of food, water and fertile soil.

The issues of the impact of our industrialised culture with its current economical system are our times most important issues in regards to the future of our existence in a world as we still know it. Facing the concept and consequences of the Anthropocene is a great challenge for humanity and it is of great importance to identify and understand the rapid changes in our environment to be able to prepare for the future to come. The symposium wants to address the need to develop collaborations between science, humanities and the arts.

SPEAKERS
Subhankar Banerjee, photographer, writer and activist, USA.
Joni Adamson, Professor Environmental Humanities, Arizona State University, USA.
Daniel Schrag, Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology and Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and director, Harvard University Center for the Environment, USA.
Anders Wijkman, Co-­president Club of Rome, Sweden
Mark Klett, Professor Photography, Arizona State University, USA.
Anne Noble, Professor Photography, Massey University, New Zeeland.
Per Holmlund, Professor Glaciology, Stockholm University.
Jem Southam, Professor Photography, Plymouth University.
Heidi Morstang, Lecturer Photography, Plymouth University.
Liz Wells, Professor in Photographic Culture, Plymouth University.