In the past decade, environmental humanities as a field has grown substantially in the Global North. Across Germany, Sweden, the US, and elsewhere, the field has generated scholarly networks and cross-institutional initiatives.
While involving some Global South partners, these endeavours are mostly rooted in European and Western scholarly paradigms. This project pays specific attention to the distinct and burgeoning expertise of Environmental Humanities (EH) scholars working in the Global South to focus on questions of special concern for, and foster the particular perspectives and practices of, the Southern hemisphere—and then bring these into closer dialogue with EH in the Global North. Two key areas that unite Global South partners are extraction/mining and water issues in relation to climate change (both sea level rise and drought). Moreover, taking a lead from the situation and emerging research in this part of the world, this project will prioritise feminist and anticolonial scholarship, while also paying specific attention to artistic researcher and non-traditional research as key forms of communication across cultures.
The project explores questions such as: How are feminist and anticolonial approaches specifically articulated in Global South contexts around issues of extraction and water/climate change? How can artistic research support collaboration and community-building? What lessons from the Global South, in terms of environmental humanities methods and concepts, need to be amplified in order to secure a stronger voice for Global South partners in global environmental humanities and environmental justice forums?
Research Leader: Astrida Neimanis
