The School of Social and Political Sciences Research Seminar, together with the Sydney Environment Institute, Vere Gordon Child Centre, and School of Humanities, invite you to a lunch and research seminar with Sverker Sörlin (KTH Stockholm), chaired by David Schlosberg (Government and International Relations, SSPS and Director, Sydney Environment Institute). The seminar will be held on Thursday 21st November, 1:00-3:30pm, in the University of Sydney’s Vere Gordon Childe Centre Boardroom, Madsen Building (F09) Room 495 and Zoom.

Human environments are produced by environing technologies – those that shape and structure the way in which “nature” becomes “environment,” to be used, perceived and understood. These technologies are terraforming practices, materially and conceptually, and attending to them enables us to see environmental change on multiple scales and in new registers. This seminar reflects on the history of the concept of environing technologies, following the influential article in History and Technology which instituted it (written with Nina Wormbs). It revisits and extends this exploration of the conceptual, epistemological, economic and emotional appreciation of the environing technologies which structure material change, particularly the notion that attending to the ways we articulate and comprehend the environment – through such technologies – is vital for envisioning the future transformations necessary for societies to overcome the ecological and climate crises.

For more information or to register your in-person or zoom attendance, see here.