The Climate Crisis: what can the arts and humanities do?

Conference and workshop exploring how Arts and Humanities scholarship can understand and respond to the climate crisis.

The Arts and Humanities have always played a crucial role in inspiring and responding to societal change. From fostering critical thinking, to inspiring creative solutions, to promoting a deeper understanding of human behavior, these disciplines have much to offer current research around the biggest crisis currently facing humanity. This day-long event will promote existing work, build new networks, and will seek to imagine bold new ways forward together.

This conference will take an action-oriented approach to the subject. Following a keynote speech, there will be a panel discussion spanning the disciplines of literature, languages, culture and communication.

The afternoon will see all attendees participate in discussion groups, with the goal of preparing a set of recommendations about future actions for Arts and Humanities scholars in Ireland and internationally. These recommendations will form the basis for a report to be published following the event.

We are delighted to announce that a keynote address will be given by Professor Kjersti Fløttum (University of Bergen).

Schedule

10:00 a.m. Welcome and introductions 

• Patrick Lonergan MRIA (University of Galway)

10:15 a.m. Keynote lecture

• Professor Kjersti Fløttum (University of Bergen) 'Narratives, voices and language in climate discourse'
• Chair: Dr Stephen Lucek (University College Dublin)

11:15 a.m. Panel discussion

• Panel: Dr Harry Browne (TU Dublin); Dr Ann Cleare (Trinity College Dublin); Michael Cronin MRIA (Trinity College Dublin); Dr Tina Pusse (University of Galway) 
• Chair: Dr Michael J Griffin (University of Limerick)

12:30 p.m. Case Studies - Part 1

• Professor Anna Hickey-Moody (Maynooth University) ‘Carbon Generations’
• Dr Yairen Jerez Columbie (University College Cork) 'Ecopoetics?: Arts and Humanities perspectives and methodologies to face the global climate crisis'.
• Dr Anne M. Dolan (Mary Immaculate College) 'New Leaving Certificate subject Climate Action and Sustainable Development: an opportunity for Humanities and the Arts'

1:15 p.m. Break

2:00 p.m. Case Studies - Part 2

• Dr Rosa Rogers (University College Cork) 'Interdisciplinary and creative storytelling approaches to climate communication'
• Dr Michaela Schrage-Früh (Limerick) and Tina-Karen Pusse (University of Galway) 'DAAD grant: European societal challenges in German culture - exploring ageing and climate change in tandem'
• Dr Leah O'Hearn (Maynooth University) 'Irish Humanities Alliance – environmental humanities working group'
• Dr Hilary Kenna (IADT) 'The good guide to creative practice for students'

3:00 p.m. Discussion groups

4:15 p.m. Reporting back on discussion groups

4:45 p.m. Conclusion

Access requirements

Have you got any access requirements that we can assist you with, so that you can fully engage with our event? Please let us know by contacting our access officer, in advance of the event, by email at accessofficer@ria.ie