Category: Publics

Starting with the Masters Narrative

Last week Stefania Barca, Zennström Professor in Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University gave a talk at Uppsala Klimatveckan 2021, which set the stage for the next 15 months of her professorship. The topic was on the Anthropocene and drawing out the masters narrative of such a concept. From this starting point, the arguments to decolonise climate change leadership compel us to reflect upon the assumptions and narratives that frame our ways of understanding and engaging with the world. You can watch the full talk below.

This talk invited members of the public to work through this challenge with us: how can we consider the ways in which we approach the decolonising challenge? What are the core assumptions we carry with us in our methods of engagement? How to we recognise these and counter (or work through) them?

We will shortly release a statement that responds more fully to the questions we were given by Uppsalabo, along with further resources we find helpful. Please check back here shortly.


If you are interested in getting involved with this process, please do reach out to us. We are eager to learn from your ideas!

To read more about Stefania Barca’s approach to Climate Change Leadership we encourage you to read her statement on Just Transition.

The Non-Human Animal: Negotiating Bio Relations

In this report you can read about the 2019 collaboration between Zennström Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University and the Uppsala Art Museum. Some of the ideas and findings from this report are elaborated upon in a forthcoming publication.

This report is written in English.


Några ord från Kuratorn, Rebecka Wigh Abrahamsson, Uppsala Art Museum

En rapport om samarbetet mellan Uppsala konstmuseum och Uppsala universitet kring utställningen ”The Non-Human Animal –  Negotiating Bio-relations”  hösten 2019. Samarbetet leddes av Keri Facer, Zennströmprofessor i Climate Change Leadership vid Uppsala universitet, som i sin forskning har ett stort fokus på konstens och humanioras roll i samtalet om och förståelsen kring klimatförändringarna.

Här beskrivs de olika aktiviteterna och de multidisciplinära perspektiv som vävdes samman i projektet, från pedagogiska och rituella, till diskussion om den politiska infrastrukturen.  

En premiss i papporten är behovet av skapa fler intellektuella och emotionella rum för att diskutera alla de konflikter och motstridiga intressen som blir tydliga under antropocen, t ex möjligheten att bearbeta sorg. Här diskuteras vilken effekt ramverket kring dessa skapade rum får på samtalen.

Flera exempel på olika interdisciplinära modeller som prövades under projektet lyfts fram, samt den stora potential som finns i att se över och tänka nytt kring vad det betyder att vara människa idag genom pedagogiska, imaginära, rituella och politiska strukturer.

Learning to live with a lively planet

The renewal of the university’s mission in the era of climate change. A lecture from Zennström Chair of Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University, Keri Facer. October 1st, 18.15 – 19.30 in the University Main Building, Room X

Sign up on MedfarmDoit

Come along for an evening of mingling and reflection with researchers, students, climate advocates, and members of the public to explore the role of the university in face of climate change. Join the mingle from 17.45 outside the lecture hall.

Keri Facer is Professor of Educational and Social Futures from the University of Bristol, UK. She holds the Zennström Chair of Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University from 2019 – 2020.

Not in Uppsala? Join the lecture on our livestream or watch the recording which will be uploaded shortly afterward.

Bio-relations in Uppsala – A conversation on our city

Explore and Reimagine

Researchers walks, mass public art making and talks

In connection to the exhibition 
The Non-Human Animal – Negotiating Bio-relations
A quick summary of the afternoon in Swedish…
… and in English!

The afternoon will involve a series of linked activities that explore the relationship between humans and non-humans in Uppsala through walking methods and creative practice. This two hour workshop activity has been developed in partnership between researchers at the two local universities, and ecopsychologists and art-educators.

Register here: tinyurl.com/y2tp8qgr 

The workshop will involve: 

1) a walk of exploration in the city – exploring questions of biodiversity and human relationships with other species. 
2) a creative exploration and documentation of the traces that humans and other species are leaving in the Anthropocene. 

The activities will lead to the creation of exhibits that will be on display during the course of the Non-Human Animal exhibition. The activities are suitable for people aged 14 and above with a curiosity and interest in plants, animals, insects and nature – no artistic experience or scientific knowledge necessary! The activities start at 1pm sharp and run till approximately 3.30. Bring weather-appropriate clothes and footwear as the walks will be outside. Sign up in advance is required.

Making space for other species in Uppsala

This public discussion will bring together artists, researchers and local policymakers to explore how space for biodiversity can be nurtured in the city of Uppsala. It will explore how plans for the city’s development might be informed by new relationships of care and respect between humans and non-human species. 

Do visit the exhibition The Non-Human Animal – Negotiating Bio-relations before the workshop. Opening date: Saturday September 28, kl 14:00 pm. It will be open from 11.30 am Sunday. 

The walks and discussions will be performed in both English and Swedish. 

Organizers: Zennström Professorship in Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University and Uppsala Art Museum