Apocalypse and apathy. The (in)ability to act in the context of climate change

Climate Thinking lecture series at the University of Kassel

Contrary to the assumption that global climate change is a purely scientific problem, climate change will be considered not only as a natural phenomenon, but also in its complex cultural and social contexts. For although anthropogenic climate change has been shaping the socio-political discourse for decades - triggered not least by the environmental movement of the 1960s - social awareness does not seem to be sufficient for far-reaching changes in lifestyle habits, which have so far rendered us as a society incapable of reacting to the problem. The lecture series will not only get to the bottom of these habits and perspectives, but also look at the vicious circle of excessive demands, apathy and resignation. Against the background of the humanities and cultural sciences, the focus will always be on the question of how climate change is talked about, told and thought about.

The lectures will take place from 8 - 10 p.m. in lecture hall 3 of the Campus Center (Moritzstr. 18).

Lecture on October 26:

“The Science is Clear: Climate Action Now!” On the (ir)relevance of the humanities and cultural sciences in the climate crisi
Martin Böhnert Climate Thinking, University of Kassel (Philosophy)

Lecture on November 2:

Staying with the Ends of the World. How apocalyptic thinking helps us survive.
Dr. des. Simon Probst, University of Vechta (Literary Studies)

Lecture on November 9:

'Innovation'? - 'Victim' or 'perpetrator'? A linguistic perspective on linguistic patterns in the climate change discourse in Romania
Anna Spielvogel, University of Göttingen (French Linguistics), Dr. Patricia de Crignis & Dr. Teresa Gruber, LMU Munich (Romance Linguistics)

Lecture on November 16:

Climate in music - music for the climate: A theme in six variations
Karolin Schmitt-Weidmann, Detmold University of Music (Musicology)

Lecture on November 23:

Counteracting climate change with determined endeavors? A Tibetan Buddhist perspective
Dr. Rolf Scheuermann, University of Heidelberg (Tibetology)

Lecture on November 30:

The endless twilight of ecocritical contemporary art and ways out of apathy
Carla Lohmann-Malegiannakis, Free University of Berlin (Art)

Lecture on December 7:

Doomsday hope! On the idea of the longed-for apocalypse in the German-speaking Middle Ages
Prof. Dr. Michael Mecklenburg, University of Kassel (Medieval Studies

Lecture on December 14:

“Von Gretl, der kleine Klimasirene” - Apathie ad hominem bei rechten Youtubern
Christine Riess, Christina Liemann (Discourse Linguistics) both CT, University of Kassel

Lecture on January 11:

“Von großen und kleinen Weltretter*innen” - Children's and youth literature on climate change from a scientific and didactic perspective
Dr. Elisa Hollerweger, Dr. Nils Lehnert, both University of Bremen & Dr. Anke Christensen, University of Kiel (Children's and Youth Literature)

Lecture on January 18:

Resilience as a concept for the climate crisis. From the individual to the system perspective
Dr. Felix Peter, State Education Authority of Saxony-Anhalt (Psychology)

Lecture on January 25:

From black gold to climate opponent. Coal in German-language literature of the 20th century
Dr. Antonia Villinger, University of Bamberg (Literary Studies)

Lecture on February 1:

Out of the crisis with AI? Solution-oriented climate discourses in contemporary non-fiction bestsellers
Jan Doria, Stuttgart Media University (Digital Ethics)

Final session on February 8:

Apocalypse & Apathy Revisited
Climate Thinking

Further information at:

https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/aktuelles/termin/2022/10/26/apokalypse-apathie-climate-thinking-ringvorlesung-2022-23?cHash=0aec6ca49473d3de8a5bd8bd3e390f52