Beyond Representation

Creative & Critical Practice in the Environmental Humanities

Many conversations in environmental humanities involve selecting and interpreting scientific data, then adding contributions from humanities fields to that quantitative base. Our symposium asks what happens when the equation is flipped—when we assume that many environmental issues start with the humanities. What questions are we best positioned to pose, and to explore? How can scientists help us, instead of the other way around? How are the humanities particularly suited to explore issues of environmental justice at the intersection of creative and critical practice? The symposium will explore these questions through interdisciplinary panels, workshops, and a reading by poet Cecily Parks. All symposium events are free and open to the public. To register please click here.

All seminars will be held in Wilson Hall 142

Saturday, April 8

Breakfast available at 8:30am

9:00 a.m. 
Introductory Remarks: Stephanie Bernhard, UVA; Carly Griffith, Center for Cultural Landscapes

9:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Seminar: Critical Cartography
         Ademide Adelusi-Adeluyi, UC Riverside
         Ross Donihue, Maps for Good
         Moderator: Jim Igoe, UVA 

11:00a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Seminar: African American Environmentalisms
          Vanessa Fabien, Brown University
          Tony Perry, University of Maryland
          Moderator: Mary Kuhn, UVA

12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Lunch and exhibit of presenters’ art and literature

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Seminar: Ecology and Design
          Manuel Lerdau, UVA
          Joe Trumpey, University of Michigan
          Moderator: Beth Meyer, UVA

3:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Workshop: Changing Climate Language
          Noah Deich, Center for Carbon Removal
          Grace Nosek, University of Vancouver
          Respondent: Matthew Oreska, UVA

6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Reading: Cecily Parks
Introduced by: Amie Whittemore
Location TBD

Sunday, April 9

Breakfast available at 8:30 a.m.

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Seminar: Rethinking Slow Violence
         Daniel Brayton, Middlebury College
         Rahul Mukherjee, University of Pennsylvania
         Moderator: TBD

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Seminar: Indigenous Environmental Justice
         Darren Ranco, University of Maine
         Kyle Powys-Whyte, University of Michigan
         Moderator: Karenne Wood, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities

12:15 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Closing Remarks: Carly Griffith, Center for Cultural Landscapes; Stephanie Bernhard, UVA