The last Institute Days of the year took place from November 6 to 8 in both Altdorf and Lucerne. The three-day programme included workshops, colloquiums, an excursion and a lecture with an interdisciplinary focus. The days began with an opening speech by Boris Previšić and Jens Badura, which set the tone for a dynamic exploration of sensory landscapes. On the first day, a workshop was held as part of „Alpine Future Literacy“, focusing on the book Sinneslandschaften der Alpen: Fühlen, Schmecken, Riechen, Hören, Sehen, edited by Jon Mathieu and Nelly Valsangiacomo. The workshop was jointly led and attended by Mathieu and Bernhard Tschofen, one of the authors of the selected work. Based on the book, which deals with the multisensory dimensions of the Alps, including sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell, the workshop focused on the sensory experiences of the Alpine environment. Presentations by Mathieu and Tschofen on their own reflections on the sensory dimensions of alpine cultures and on selected topics from the book were followed by short co-presentations on the meaning and perception of „sensory landscapes“ in response to the topics covered in the book, as well as a discussion.
The second day began with a colloquium by Ndjaka Mtsetwene entitled «Ecology and Contesting Cultures of Nature: A History of Apartheid-Era Forced Resettlement between the Letaba and Levubu Rivers». As the title suggests, Mtsetwene's dissertation focuses on forced resettlement during the apartheid era in South Africa and the associated changes in local ecology and cultural relations to the land. Methodologically, she draws on the field of cultural geography in an attempt to illustrate the changes in ecology and their impact on the residents’ sense of place and their relationship to the landscape. The second colloquium took place in the afternoon and featured a presentation by Elisabeth Nold Schwartz entitled «Kartographien des Zusammenspiels: Natur und Kultur in der Dartellung zirkulierender Praktiken und Verstrickungen am Beispiel der Grünerle». In her dissertation, she examines the relationship between nature and culture using the example of the green alder (Alnus viridis), a shrub or small tree that thrives in alpine ecosystems. In her work, Nord Schwartz combines two approaches: sensory-based essays that challenge conventional scientific representations of nature, and a mapping method to explore how landscapes are active, fluid and interconnected systems rather than static or passive resources. She challenges conventional distinctions between nature and culture and instead considers sensory perception as a method for understanding complex environmental relationships.
The time between the first and second colloquium was filled with a visit to Dany Swiss Chocolatier in the heart of Altdorf. There we met Dany, an active local, who introduced us to the world of chocolate production and showed us the whole process of chocolate making, from the plantations and the cocoa seeds to the final product in his Chocolatier.
In the late afternoon, the programme continued with a workshop entitled «Zukunft Alpenstrom: Möglichkeiten der Dokumentation und Visualisierung eines Argumentarismus». The workshop, organised by Annina Boogen and Veronika Studer-Kovacs, was linked to an ongoing project that addresses two thematic areas. Using Pontresina as an example, perspectives and possibilities for the additional use of alpine photovoltaics for alpine agriculture, tourism etc. were presented, with the importance of photography and the invisibility of alpine infrastructure also being discussed. On the other hand, the inclusion of alpine agriculture as intangible cultural heritage, sustainable tourism and biodiversity was discussed. This was followed by the active part of the workshop, in which the participants were asked to contribute creative and innovative solutions for implementing the topics presented in the form of games, exhibitions, etc.
In the evening, the participants travelled to Lucerne for a lecture by Marcel Hänggi, titled «EIN SPAZIERGANG RUND UM WISSEN, NICHTWISSEN UND NACHHALTIGKEIT». Participants had the opportunity to engage with Hänggi also on the last day of the Institute Days. The lecturer and author of the book Weil es recht ist: Vorschläge für eine ökologische Bundesverfassung discussed a chapter of the book with the other participants and explored the question of how indigenous Andean perspectives on „Pachamama“ (often translated as „Mother Earth“) challenge Western legal frameworks. This marked the end of the last Institute Days in 2024.
Published on 18. November 2024
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