95672 - Nature, Cultures, Technologies (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course addresses the interactions between nature, cultures, and technologies from a cross-disciplinary and long-term perspective. At the end of the course the students will have: – conducted an in-depth exploration of historical cases and contemporary data; – learned to assess the sources and use the critical tools to address these themes independently.

Course contents

 

Rethinking the Anthropocene: Beyond Nature and Culture Interdisciplinary Dialogues on Humanity and Other Species, Technologies, Environment, and Society

This seminar-based course begins on November 13 (class schedules are available via the provided link).

Guiding Question: How can we address global and geopolitical warming without falling into indifference, denial, or climate anxiety? To answer this, we propose starting with the question of who we are beyond the nature-culture dichotomy. This approach aims to make us aware that every human action—personal, political, technological—has an impact on the planet.

To achieve this, we must first decide where we stand. Unfortunately, we are not on Olympus, and particularly in the last century, playing Prometheus has not been a wise idea. More compelling are the perspectives of scholars aware of the "deep connection between the awareness of limits and the awareness of interdependencies" (Elisabetta Donini, 2021, p. 186).

From this perspective, the course invites us to take the side of the Earth system—or Gaia, as conceptualized by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis, which we will discuss. We will practice the culture of limits and reject the culture of domination (as suggested since the 19th century by many authors and scientists we will reference), reducing consumption and the tone of debate. The only possible goal is to adapt to the Anthropocene we have unleashed, slowing it down through a transition to renewable energy sources and truly inclusive human relationships.

The Earth system as our new onlife dimension is not a random context, and the risk of dominating or being dominated is constant. With this awareness, we must learn to make informed choices. It is evident that for this endeavor, science or technology alone are not enough, nor are social or human sciences: we need them all, and they are never sufficient. We must embrace a curious culture indifferent to educational conformities and boundaries between academic, popular, and communicative cultures: error and banality can hide anywhere. Of this approach—which, among others, was practiced by Charles Darwin—writer and chemist Primo Levi wrote with a grin:

"In short, I have run alone, following a winding path, sniffing here and there, and building myself a disordered, incomplete, and know-it-all culture" (Primo Levi, Works, ii, 1985, p. 801, quoted in Domenico Scarpa, 2020, p. xxxii).

Starting from this position, we will use Anthropocene—the term that has gained prominence in the public sphere in every language—as a concept that not only crosses the boundary between the natural and the social but ignores it altogether (Bruno Latour, 2020).

By proposing non-specialist and non-jargon languages, and interdisciplinary knowledge indifferent to principles of authority and group conformities, this course offers food for thought to those who do not find adequate answers in the separate worlds of natural, social, technological, and human sciences.

For this reason, the texts in the syllabus are communicative rather than specialist in nature. The proposal is to independently identify areas of exchange where the results of various extraordinary knowledge domains can be applied to establish equal alliances with other viewpoints, genders, and generations.

We will investigate these macro-themes by adopting an integrated approach that puts natural sciences in dialogue with social sciences, typical of science studies or studies on science, technology, and society (STS); an approach that will be introduced in the first lessons.

STS supports innovative and interdisciplinary collaborations at the intersection of society and natural, technological, historiographical, and philosophical knowledge, advocating for less self-referential and anthropocentric policies and behaviors.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE
In case of coughs, colds, sore throats or other symptoms (even mild ones), those attending class are asked to wear a mask rated FFP2 or higher. Thanks!

Readings/Bibliography

The program is the same for attending and non attending students, including students of the Erasmus program.

1. Texts, films, and PowerPoints posted (during the course) on the e-learning platform;

2. Bruno Latour, Essere di questa Terra. Guerra e pace ai tempi dei conflitti ecologici, a cura di Nicola Manghi, Torino : Rosenberg & Sellier, 2019 (Introduzione and two chapters of your choice).

3. Silvana Condemi e François Savatier, Noi siamo Sapiens. Alla ricerca delle nostre origini, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 2019 (1° ed. orig. 2018; 140 pp.)

4. P. Govoni, M.G. Belcastro, A. Bonoli, G. Guerzoni, Ripensare l'Antropocene. Oltre natura e cultura, Carocci, Roma, 2024. The volume offers, in the first chapter, an example of how to pragmatically apply studies on science, technology, and society (STS) to the questions of what science is and how it functions in relation to socio-environmental issues crucial for the survival of our (in)civilizations. Women's and gender studies are another tool used in the book, where the contributions of women to environmental efforts—both past and present—are highlighted. It discusses the evolutionary history of humanity and the misogynistic biases that have influenced anthropology until recent times, and considers the role of intergenerational and gender relations in supporting our resilience. The volume is the result of interdisciplinary work conducted by the authors in dialogue with a couple of thousand students—from the fields of biology, philosophy, engineering, and education at the University of Bologna—who are given a voice in the book.

Recommended reading

- Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, Murray, London, 1859, here

James Lovelock, Gaia. A new look at life on Earth, Oxford University press, 1979, here

Teaching methods

This course is part of the Digital Innovative Teaching (DDI) program. Various materials and documents will be uploaded to the Virtual platform (Bibliography item 5). Lectures will be recorded and made available remotely via a Virtuale link. Those listening to the lectures at a later moment will be able to post questions and comments via the forum (Virtuale) or by email (p.govoni@unibo.it).

As mentioned in the Contents section, this course will be conducted with an interdisciplinary approach and predominantly in a seminar format. We will engage in dialogues with guests (on dates that will be uploaded to the platform): Beatrice Clementi, a student of Biodiversity and Evolution; Marco Colafemmina, a graduate in Philosophical Sciences, environmental activist, and Master's Degree candidate in Political Ecology, Degrowth and Environmental Justice at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; and Lucia Tedesco, a graduate in Philosophical Sciences with a thesis on the Marghera petrochemical case, currently a doctoral student at the University of Turin and the Bruno Kessler Foundation. These sessions will provide opportunities to discuss how to approach your master's thesis and plan further studies, whether within or beyond the Alps.

This course aims to foster autonomy in educational processes, self-assessment practices, and peer collaboration, alongside collaboration with the instructor. We will strive to move away from the traditional three-phase approach of lecture, autonomous learning, and assessment. Instead, we will adopt practices such as 'cooperative learning.' Our objectives are to:

• Facilitate the deepening and communication of class discussions and independent studies.
• Train students in group work.
• Reduce competitiveness and performance anxiety in favor of collaborative problem-solving.

To achieve these objectives, we will organize peer activities that are a fundamental part of this course.

Participants will present in class—individually or in groups—one of the texts from the syllabus or a topic relevant to the course, as agreed upon with the instructor. These presentations will be a significant component of the final evaluation.

Participants (attending in person or asynchronously) will also complete a written assignment to be uploaded to the Virtual platform within seven days of the end of classes. This assignment will involve arguing a point personally—drawing from class notes and correctly cited online resources—based on what was discussed in class and presented in group reports. This written assignment will also play a major role in the final evaluation.

Those unable to attend classes will study the texts listed in the bibliography and on the platform. Recordings of the lessons will be made available to them, as previously mentioned.

Assessment methods

Every year, I organize six exam sessions: one in September (before the start of classes); one in December (at the end of the courses); two between January and February (during the teaching break); one in late spring; and two in the summer session.

The exam is oral and consists of three questions, starting from a freely chosen topic.

Students will be tested on their knowledge of the course’s bibliography, as well as on their ability to reason in a logical, concise and personal way.

The accuracy and precision of the student’s way of expression will also be taken in consideration.

For further information, please consult the educational guidelines here (Regolamento didattico).

Students with disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders have the right to special accommodations according to their condition, following an assessment by the Service for Students with Disabilities and SLD. Please do not contact the teacher but get in touch with the Service directly to schedule an appointment. It will be the responsibility of the Service to determine the appropriate adaptations. For more information, see here .

Teaching tools

PowerPoint; e-learning tools.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Govoni