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Institute of Advanced Studies announces finale of its Annual Theme, Time: Living in the Anthropocene: How to Deal with a New Epoch

The IAS is delighted to announce the fourth and final event of its 2020-21 Annual Theme on Time, entitled Living in the Anthropocene: How to Deal with a New Epoch, which will take place on Thursday 24 June, 3pm-5.30pm.

The concept of the Anthropocene includes, explicitly or implicitly, a temporal dimension. This workshop will engage conceptual and pragmatic perspectives on the temporality of the Anthropocene as both a geological/palaeobiological and historical epoch in which human beings have become the crucial factor shaping the Earth and the life inhabiting it.

Bringing together scholars from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, this workshop will address how we define this epoch from a multidisciplinary perspective, as well as considering the practical question of how we can live in and with it.

Led by Dr Thoralf Klein, the workshop will comprise two rounds of expert panel discussions, involving the Time Theme Leads and three IAS Fellows: historian Professor Elizabeth Chatterjee from the University of Chicago; geologist Professor Mark Williams from Leicester University; and design scholar Dr Joanna Boehnert from Loughborough University.

The first panel discussion will explore past and present narratives of the Anthropocene. The second panel will consider possible futures. There will also be opportunities for workshop participants to put their questions to the panel.

Professor Marsha Meskimmon, Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies, said: "Focusing on the Anthropocene is a wonderful way to round up the Theme this year, and raises important questions that cut across disciplines and cultures. We expect a lively discussion and invite colleagues to take part."

The Time Theme, led by Professor Peter Kawalek, Dr Thoralf Klein, Dr Arianna Maiorani and Dr Alexandre Zagoskin has facilitated an amazing cross-disciplinary exploration of Time, opening up exciting opportunities for future collaborations across the sciences, social sciences and humanities.

Professor Steve Rothberg, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, said: "The Time Theme has been a highly successful and thought-provoking programme, bringing together leading researchers from across a number of disciplines and countries over the past academic year. I’m delighted that so many colleagues from Loughborough have engaged with these events and this last event will be a grand finale to this year’s IAS Theme."

Click here to register and for further details of this event.

Information about the IAS Annual Theme: Time is available here

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