PGR Workshop - Designing for Non-Human Kin: Exploring Multispecies Worldmaking

IAS Residential Fellows Professor Tim Parsons & Ms Jessica Charlesworth deliver a workshop for Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) - 

Cultural anthropologist Tim Ingold describes our hunter-gatherer ancestors as having "intimate ecological knowledge," that wasn't simply accumulated information but embodied skill developed through direct sensory engagement with the environment. Centuries of “progress” have severed this engagement, creating a nature/culture divide that is embedded in our language, education and social and political structures. 

Drawing from emerging theories of object-oriented ontology and new materialism, and the creative practices of speculative realism, climate fiction and speculative design, this workshop articulates new approaches to non-human-centric design. Using Parsons & Charlesworth’s project Multispecies Inc. as a case study, the workshop offers insights into practical strategies for moving from abstract environmental ethics to embodied ecological perspectives that can inspire transformative action in the face of environmental collapse.

The workshop will challenge participants to consider how non-human-centric theories can transform “business-as-usual” in their field, and generate new perspectives for how we interface with the more-than-human world.

Arrivals from 1:45 pm for a 2:00 pm start. 

Note - IAS PGR Workshops can be counted towards your requirement 'to complete 30 days transferable skills training during your registered period of study' for your PhD.

This event is hybrid format, please use the required booking button at the bottom of the page to choose either in-person or online attendance. 

Given the interactive nature of typical IAS PGR Workshops, in-person attendance is encouraged. Hybrid is made available as a backup option for those who cannot attend in-person and wish to observe online, but interactive elements cannot be guaranteed as viable for the online audience.

(Please note that in-person spaces are limited and booking is required, so we can manage numbers for catering and also the space in the seminar room)

By booking a place at this event, attendees agree to behave in a respectful manner such that everyone feels comfortable contributing as they wish. The IAS reserves the right to eject anyone who does not abide by this policy.

IAS seminars are typically recorded, minus any Q&A sessions at the end, again to encourage contributions. The recordings are then uploaded to our website on a Fellows bio page and/or Programme page, along with our IAS YouTube Channel. If you are not able to attend a seminar live, please do still register for the Teams webinar, as we will email everyone who registered to let them know once the recordings are made available.