Join us for an interdisciplinary discussion workshop on the complex relationship between nature and society in the ‘age of man’.  Each workshop will take a physical element - earth, air, water and fire – as its starting point. 

What does it mean for something as ethereal as CO2 to be necessary for human life, fuel for photosynthesis, the primary indicator of man-made climate change and a tradable commodity?

How can our valuing of land make it at once a sacred space, an exploitable source of fuel, an ecosystem service and dumping ground?

How is water apportioned between rivers, rice and cattle?  How does the trade of commodities effectively move water around the world?

How has industrialisation brought fire from the hearth to the power station?

Background

The aim is to bring people from the social, natural and physical sciences, arts and humanities together to stimulate new ideas about the Anthropocene and how to consider this concept in our own research.  We hope to form collaborative working relationships with a view to applying for research funds.

The workshops will take place in different locations around the University and Bristol with relevance to the theme.  We will confirm the locations one week before by email to those who have signed up.  A variety of objects (machines, visual data, oral histories) related to these elements will contribute to and frame the discussions.  Participants are also invited to bring their own objects, texts and pictures. 

These workshops follow on from the Cabot Institute Society in the Anthropocene conference in June 2013, which interrogated the divide between nature and society, including the effects of human activity on the environment and on other species, and reciprocal ways that the environment shapes humans.  Read Bronwen Morgan and Tim Edmunds’ summary Elemental figures of a future politics (PDF, 278kB).

Further information

• The workshops are sponsored by the University of Bristol’s Institute of Advanced Studies and Cabot Institute. 
• Refreshments will be provided. 
• The events run from 3 pm - 5 pm.

Register for the Earth workshop

Other workshops in the series:

• Wednesday 30 October, 3 pm - 5 pm - Register for the Air workshop
• Thursday 14 November , 3 pm - 5 pm – Register for the Water workshop
• Tuesday 3 December, 3pm - 5 pm - Register for the Fire workshop

Nb: This event is only open to University of Bristol staff and students.