Defining the Human in Environmental Humanities

Call for Applications

VIU Global Challenges Initiative

Date: June 6-11, 2022

Call for applications: December 1, 2021 – February 15, 2022 via the VIU website

This Graduate Seminar will be led by:

- Boston College, USA
- Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Germany (co-sponsor: Rachel Carson Center) 

Who is the “human” at the heart of environmental humanities? By definition, environmental humanists seek to explore the bond between humans and nature, and they dedicate themselves to promoting environmental policies and practices that are both socially just and robust. Yet, with the blurring boundaries between nature and culture, humans and non-humans in the Anthropocene, it is also an appropriate moment for environmental humanists to define what it means to be human and to recognize how the human transforms in light of new trends in the medical, scientific, technological, and philosophical fields. At the same time, urgent social trends—including migration spurred by climate change and environmental degradation—can significantly complicate a progressive agenda by raising the question of what we are willing to share with whom. How do we preserve a flexible and capacious understanding of the human, one that is capable of addressing all terrestrial beings?

The Graduate Seminar is divided into a three-day training session followed by participation in a three-day conference which is open to a broader audience of experts.

Faculty
Elizabeth Kowaleski Wallace, Boston College
Shaul Bassi, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Helmuth Trischler, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität

Learning outcomes
1. To obtain a clearer sense of what it is we do as environmental humanists and how we transform our understandings into specific practices.
2. To receive constructive commentary on work in progress and to respond to key concepts and issues that currently manifest themselves in environmental studies work.
3. To co-organize place-based academic events as conceptual tools for both interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research.
4. To develop both academic work and political practices that are fully self-aware and responsive to the particular humanistic challenges that are brought on by global climate change.

Who can apply?
This Graduate Seminar is offered to advanced Master and early PhD students in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Environmental Sciences.
Open to candidates from all the VIU Member Institutions; applications from excellent candidates from non-member institutions will be also considered and evaluated.

Fees & grant support
Students from the VIU member institutions will pay no participation fees. Grant support is also available to support, partially or fully, the costs of international travel and accommodation.
Excellent candidates from non-member institutions will be also considered and evaluated, although these candidates will pay fees and are not eligible for financial support (further information available in the Brochure). VIU Alumni are eligible for a reduced fee.

Applicants must submit the application form, a letter of motivation that includes a brief description of the candidate’s research interests, a curriculum vitae, and a photo. Optionally, they can submit a paper abstract: a group of selected students will have the opportunity to present their papers during the conference at the end of the seminar. Those interested in doing so should submit a 250 word abstract along with their applications, with the understanding that, if selected to present, a full paper will be due by May 15th

For further information please download the Brochure and the Program (available soon) or write to: summerschools@univiu.org

Please find more information here.