How do we imagine nature/culture? How do new environments emerge and how do we design them – deliberately or by chance? The 6th Winter School of GSCSA focuses on the notions of “nature” and “culture” as entangled phenomena. Environmental humanities make an effort to overcome the centuries old division between sciences and humanities by stressing that speaking about “nature” and the hybrid forms of naturecultures is of central importance for all disciplines within the humanities.

We invite doctoral and MA students to think beyond the comfortable binaries of nature and culture and to discuss topics like recycling and hybridity, (eco)nationalism and aesthetics, technology and landscape, corporeality and posthumanism, materiality and animality in order to understand the creative power of “nature” as a cultural metaphor and the intimate interconnectedness between environment and culture.

The program of the Winter School consists of: 1) interdisciplinary lectures and discussions conducted by Estonian and guest lecturers; 2) student seminars and slams where graduate participants present and discuss their own research; 3) student workshops outside the customary classroom environment.

Webpage: ktkdk.edu.ee/winterschool
Plenary speakers:

Prof. Harriet Hawkins (Royal Holloway, University of London)

Dr. Dolly Jørgensen (Luleå University of Technology)

Dr. Timothy LeCain (Montana State University)

Dr. Jamie Lorimer (University of Oxford)

Prof. Gregg Mitman (University of Wisconsin – Madison)

Prof. David Moon (University of York)

Prof. Kate Soper (London Metropolitan University)

Dr. Bronislaw Szerszynski (Lancaster University)

PROGRAMME

Monday, 23 January

9:30–10:00 wake up coffee (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

10:00–10:30 Introduction by Prof. Marek Tamm (Tallinn University) and Prof. Ulrike Plath (Tallinn University), Programme Co-Directors of the Winter School (M-218)

10:30–11:30 Dr. Timothy LeCain (Montana State University): The matter of humans: putting nature back into culture through the environmental humanities (M-218)

11:30–12:30 Discussion lead by Prof. Marek Tamm (Tallinn University) (M-218)

12:30–13:30 lunch (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

13:30–15:30 Student seminar (M-439) / Writing room (M-226)

15:30–16:00 coffee break (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

16:00–17:00 Dr. Dolly Jørgensen (Luleå University of Technology): Making a user turn in the environmental humanities (M-218)

17:00–18:00 Discussion lead by Prof. Kalevi Kull (University of Tartu) (M-218)

19:00–23:00 reception at the Estonian Academy of Sciences (Kohtu 6) (registered participants only)

Tuesday, 24 January

9:30–10:00 wake up coffee (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

10:00–11:00 Prof. David Moon (University of York): Place and nature in Russian environmental history(M-218)

11:00–12:00 Discussion lead by Prof. Karsten Brüggemann (Tallinn University) (M-218)

12:00–13:00 lunch (atrium of Tallinn University Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

13:00–15:00 Student seminar (M-439) / Writing room (M-226)

15:00–15:30 coffee break (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

15:30–16:30 Prof. Gregg Mitman (University of Wisconsin – Madison): Parasites of capitalism: tales of ecology and disease in a neoliberal age(M-218)

16:30–17.30 Discussion lead by Dr. Kati Lindström (University of Tartu / Royal Institute of Technology, Stockhlom) (M-218)

18:00–20:00 Movie night at Cinema Sõprus (Vana-Posti 8): two films of Gregg Mitman: In the Shadow of Ebola (2014) and The Land Beneath Our Feet (2016)

20.30–23:00 dinner / winter school club at NoKu, self-service (Pikk 5)

Wednesday, 25 January

9:30–10:00 wake up coffee (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

10:00–11:00 Prof. Kate Soper (London Metropolitan University): The Humanities and the Environment: Nature, Culture and the Politics of Consumption (A-222)

11:00–12:00 Discussion lead by Kadri Tüür (University of Tartu) (A-222)

12:00–13:00 lunch (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

13:00–15:00 Student seminar (M-439) / Writing room (M-226)

15:00–15:30 coffee break (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

15:30–16:30 Dr. Harriet Hawkins (Royal Holloway, University of London): Creating Earth futures? GeoHumanities and geographical imaginations of global environmental change (A-222)

16:30–17:30 Discussion lead by Prof. Helen Sooväli-Sepping (Tallinn University) (A-222)

18:15–20:15 Science slam (Nova Building’s free are)

20:30–23:00 dinner / winter school club at Noku, self-service (Pikk 5)

Thursday, 26 January

10:00–16:00 6 parallel workshops (requires previous registration)

10:00–12:00 first session

12:00–13:00/13.00-14.00 lunches by groups

13:00–16:00 second session

12:00-17:00 room M-226 available for individual writing

Workshop 1: Nature and nationalism in Soviet visual culture, convened by Dr. Anu Allas (Kumu Art Museum) and Dr. Linda Kaljundi (Tallinn University)

Kumu Art Museum (Weizenbergi 34 / Valge 1)
lunch 13.00–14.00 by Reval Café

Coffee breaks included

Workshop 2: Meaningful connections: zoological garden as an interspecies environment, convened by Dr. Timo Maran (University of Tartu) (cancelled)

Tallinn Zoological Garden (Ehitajate tee 150 / Paldiski mnt. 145)

lunch 13.00–14.00 at the Tallinn Zoo café

Coffee breaks included

Workshop 3: The human condition and the environment: breathing, eating and dying in environmental humanities, convened by Dr. Kati Lindström (University of Tartu / Royal Institute of Technology, Stockhlom)

Estonian Healthcare Museum (Lai tn. 30) and a city tour

lunch 13.00–14.00 at Von Krahl (Rataskaevu 8)

Coffee breaks included

Workshop 4: Urban nature as a pharmakon?, convened by Prof. Maros Krivy (Estonian Academy of Arts) and Agata Marzecova (Tallinn University)

Faculty of Art and Culture, Estonian Academy of Arts (Suur-Kloostri 11)

lunch 13.00–14.00 at Von Krahl (Rataskaevu 10)

Coffee breaks included

Workshop 5: Thresholds of shifting values: recycling matters in the post-city, convened by Prof. Patrick Laviolette (Tallinn University) and Dr. Tarmo Pikner (Tallinn University)

Seminar Room „Sõna“, A3 building, Loomelinnak/Creative City,

A3 Building, 4th floor (Telliskivi 60a)

lunch 12.45–13.30 by Reval Cafe

Coffee breaks included

Workshop 6: Sensory environments and nature representations, convened by Dr. Kadri Tüür (University of Tartu) and Prof. Kate Soper (London Metropolitan University)

Rahumäe cemetery (Rahumäe tee 8) and Under and Tuglas Literature Centre’s museum department (Väikese Illimari 11)

lunch 12.00–13.00 at MuSu restaurant, Rahumäe (Pärnu maantee 209a)

Coffee breaks included.

18:00–20:30: Movie night in Supernova Cinema (organized by Carlo Cubero, Piibe Kolka, Tallinn University): Eldorado XXI by Salomé Lamas (2016)

20:30–23:00 dinner / winter school club at Noku, self-service (Pikk 5)

Friday, 27 January

9:30–10:00 wake up coffee (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

10:00–11:00 Dr. Jamie Lorimer (University of Oxford): What is the wild, and who decides? Rewilding and the futures of nature conservation (M-218)

11:00–12:00 Discussion lead by Dr. Riin Magnus (University of Tartu) (M-218)

12:00–13:00 lunch (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

13:00–15:00 Student seminar(M-648) / Writing room (M-226)

15:00–15:30 coffee break (atrium of Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, 3rd floor)

15:30–16:30 Dr. Bronislaw Szerszynski (Lancaster University): Earthly powers: situating the human within the deep past, deep present and deep future of our planet (M-218)

16:30–17:30 Discussion lead by Prof. Ulrike Plath (Tallinn University) (M-218)

19:00–02:00 Graduation party at Erinevate Tubade Klubi (Telliskivi 60, A1 4th floor) (registered participants only)
Please find more information about the programme, registration and requirements on winter school homepage:

http://www.winterschool.ee/
Upon full participation in the study programme and a presentation in the seminar or slam, a participant will be awarded 6 ECTS points (4 ECTS without the presentation).

Programme explanation:

4 days of lectures, discussions, student seminars and science slams.
– Lectures: à 60 minutes.
– Discussions: à 60 minutes
– Student presentations (you can choose between two formats):
Student seminars: à 120 minutes
Students will be divided into smaller groups (three papers per seminar).
Every student has 20 minutes for presentation and 20 minutes for discussion.
A PowerPoint/Keynote/Prezi slide programme is required for presentation.
Students sharing a seminar are expected to previously study each other’s abstracts.
At least two lecturers per group will attend and comment the papers.

Students’ science slams: à 120 minutes
Every student has 5-10 minutes to explain his/her research project in an understandable, entertaining and concise way. All kinds of experimental, creative, visual presentations are encouraged. The slams will be presented to all participants of the Winter School and will be discussed and judged by an expert-jury and the public.

1 day of student workshops.
– Practically oriented workshops lead by Estonian and/or guest lecturers.
– Requires previous registration. Workshops have a quota of participants!
– Required reading assignments for each workshop will be available on the web.

Deadline for registration by web form is January 10, 2016.

Deadline for submitting an abstract (ca 200 words) for student seminar or science slam is January 10, 2017.
A course fee is not required but there will be no reimbursement for accommodation or travel costs except for the students enrolled in the GSCSA program. More information about accommodation choices will be provided for the participants.

Registration to workshops:

Here are Doodle links to each workshop. Please choose only one workshop. Number of participants per workshop is 16.

Workshop 1:

http://doodle.com/poll/f8bef9q3fpxrg4mq

Workshop 2 (NB! cancelled):

http://doodle.com/poll/qdmxe7dng4cv64xe

Workshop 3:

http://doodle.com/poll/pk7b9nyz3be74ggb

Workshop 4:

http://doodle.com/poll/cfxq6x6edfwybr5b

Workshop 5:

http://doodle.com/poll/c2t35e8sbr6q7g4n

Workshop 6:

http://doodle.com/poll/whsvfph8e53wzmh2

The language of the winter school is English.

Hosting institutions: School of Humanities, Tallinn University; Estonian Centre for Environmental History, Tallinn University.
Partners: European Union Structural Funds, Art Museum of Estonia, Under and Tuglas Literature Centre of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society: LMU Munich, Estonian Centre for Environmental History.

Program directors: Prof. Ulrike Plath (Tallinn University) and Prof. Marek Tamm (Tallinn University)

Program manager: Doris Feldmann (Tallinn University), doris.feldmann@tlu.ee

Student coordinator: Tiiu-Triinu Tamm (Tallinn University), tiiutriinu@gmail.com
This winter school is organised by the Graduate School of Culture Studies and Arts, supported by the Tallinn University’s ASTRA project, TLÜ TEE, University of Tartu’s ASTRA project, PER ASPERA, Estonian Academy of Arts’ ASTRA project EKA LOOVKÄRG, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre’s ASTRA project EMTASTRA (European Union, European Regional Development Fund).