Interview with Thom van Dooren, winner of the 7th Biophilia Award

Описание: Philosopher Thom van Dooren receives the BBVA Foundation’s 7th Biophilia Award for what the committee describes as his “central role” in “understanding and addressing species extinction.”

00:06 How do you define the environmental humanities and why do you think this multidisciplinary field is necessary to confront the global environmental crisis?

01:50 The jury has highlighted your central role in shaping understandings of extinction and the global biodiversity crisis. How do you think your work has contributed to this?

06:00 How did you first become interested in nature and why did you ultimately decide to do research in the environmental humanities?

09:12 The jury has also highlighted that your work has contributed to reframing humanity's relationship with nature. In what ways would you say this is the case?

15:40 Why is it important to analyze the cultural meanings of species and extinctions in different societies? How can this kind of research contribute to improving efforts to preserve biodiversity?

22:46 Your first monograph told the stories of several endangered birds in a way that, according to the jury, defined a central role for the humanities in responding to the extinction crisis. How?

28:21 How has your most recent work, about the disappearance of snails, further contributed to understanding extinctions in their social, historical and cultural context?

33:13 What are you working on now and what future projects in the environmental humanities do you foresee for the coming years?

35:46 How do you view the challenge of the environmental crisis in today's particularly complex geopolitical context?

38:27 How can the environmental humanities, and in particular the kind of storytelling that characterizes your work, help to make people more aware of the environmental crisis and contribute to social and political action to confront this challenge?

42:30 How do you view the future of the environment and humanity's relationship to the natural world? Are you hopeful we are still in a time to prevent the worst scenarios of the global environmental crisis?

45:23 What does the reception of the Biophilia Award mean to you?

Check out his conference at the awards ceremony: https://www.biophilia-fbbva.es/en/