Environmental Affairs Symposium

Tenth Annual Symposium on Environmental Affairs

Situating Environmental Crisis

Lewis & Clark College
October 2-4, 2007

Contemporary environmental discourse is fraught with crisis-talk—think toxic waste, species extinctions, and of course global warming. Many people rightly ask: what can be done, and where do we begin?

Yet the abstract, disconnected way we speak about environmental crises and their solutions often makes these questions unanswerable. What may help is to situate crisis in particular places so as to understand how the reality and perception of these impending disasters are shaped by specific biophysical, historical, political, cultural, and other processes. Perhaps it is only by situating crisis that we will better understand what can be done about it.

Tuesday, October 2, 4:00 PM
Panel Discussion
"Situating Environmentalism"
What is an environmentalist these days? Is it a middle class person buying organic produce? Is it an Indian villager embracing a tree to stop the deforestation of her land? The so-called environmental movement looks different across the globe and within our own city. Join Dr. Ramachandra Guha -- an historian from Bangalore, India and expert on environmental movements in the global north and global south -- in a panel including representatives of varying types of environmental work from the Portland community.
Venue: Templeton Student Center, Stamm Hall

Tuesday, October 2, 7:00 PM
Keynote Address: Dr. Ramachandra Guha
"Crisis and Sustainability: Lessons from the Environmental Movement in India"
Venue: Templeton Student Center, Council Chambers

Wednesday, October 3, 4:00 PM
Panel Discussion
"Situating Environmental Science"
How has environmental science created, promoted or even denounced the mainstream and academic notions of crisis? Join Dr. Naomi Oreskes, a professor of history and science studies at the University of California, San Diego, as well as other experts from the Portland community to discuss the role of environmental science in framing crisis.
Venue: Templeton Student Center, Stamm Hall

Wednesday, October 3, 7:00 PM
Keynote Address: Dr. Naomi Oreskes
"Moving Beyond Crisis: Toward Sustainable Knowledge"
Venue: Templeton Student Center, Council Chambers (reception to follow)

Thursday, October 4, 4:00 PM
Workshop
“Responding to Situated Crisis”
Where do we go from here? Join breakout groups led by student facilitators to forge new narratives and plan new strategies of addressing crisis. Dr. Guha, Dr. Oreskes, and discussion panelists will be in attendance and respond to group presentations.
Venue: Albany Quadrangle, Smith Hall