Minister of research and education asked about abuse, neglect, control of research

Today I attended a talk my Norway´s minister of research and education, Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, at University of Stavanger, and asked him a question about the government´s abuse (minister of immigration and integration Sylvi Listhaug), neglect (minister of finance Siv Jensen) and attempted control (minister of fisheries Per Sandberg) of research. Among other things, the minister responded that Sandberg felt misunderstood, and that it is more important that Jensen accepts the government´s climate policies than what she believes is actually happening with the climate. He also reiterated that research must be independent and free.

Annual performance appraisal

Today I met with Head of department Einar Engebretsen for my annual performance appraisal.

New Dean, Head of departments announced

Yesterday the board of University of Stavanger made decisions on new Head of departments at Department of health studies, Department of media, culture and social sciences (see link to news story), and dean of Faculty of social sciences. The names have been announced to employees today. In the case of Department of social studies, there will be another call for applications.

I applied for all four positions, and was interviewed and considered a serious candidate in relation to Department of social studies and Department of media, culture and social sciences.

Political theory exam paper graded

Earlier this week I took part in grading an exam paper in Political theory (course code BST115) for University of Stavanger´s Department of Media, Culture and Social Sciences, following complaint on the initial grade (given by the regular examiner).

Fourth session of bachelor supervision

The last few days I have supervised my three bachelor students, all working with bachelor thesis in child welfare/social work, for a fourth and final session. Bachelor theses are due May 13th.

To attend GroupHouseNet Management Committee meeting in Belgrade

I have been summoned to attend the second meeting of the Management Committee of the COST action GroupHouseNet, which will take place in Belgrade, Serbia, June 6th. I am a substitute member of the Management Committee, and will attend the meeting as a replacement for one of the two regular Norwegian members.

IVSA member

I have just become a member of the International Visual Sociology Association, in anticipation of IVSA 2016, to be held at Lillehammer in June.

Research application meeting

Today I´ve attended a Skype meeting with my collaborator at IRIS - International Research Institute of Stavanger to discuss our joint research application further. 

See also:

Joint research application

A mistake, says Routledge

It was all a mistake, it turns out.

See also:

Book review "Discourses gone astray" (not) featured in "Education and multilingualism"

Comments on Alice Crary´s "Inside ethics" given at book seminar

Today I offered "Comments on the book with an eye to animal ethics and Human-Animal Studies" - the book being Alice Crary´s Inside ethics: On the demands of moral thought, released this Spring, as part of a 4 hour seminar devoted to the book held at University of Stavanger today. Cato Wittusen and myself organized the seminar, which was attended by some 10 people.

Due to chicken pox in the family I attended from home, via Skype.

"Socialization of captive wolves" paper accepted for GiB16 (Prague)

I have been informed that the Program Committee of the Sixteenth Annual Gatherings in Biosemiotics (Prague, 4 – 8 July) has accepted our paper "Socialization of captive wolves" (joint paper with Laura Kiiroja) for oral presentation.

"A brief history of the cultural semiotic of wolves and sheep" accepted for GiB16 (Prague)

I have just been informed that the Program Committee of the Sixteenth Annual Gatherings in Biosemiotics (Prague, 4 – 8 July) has accepted my paper "A brief history of the cultural semiotic of wolves and sheep" for oral presentation.

NoSP: Not PAJ representative

At yesterday´s business meeting of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP), I´m told, it was announced that Fredrik Svenaeus is appointed this year´s representative presenting at the annual conference of the Phenomenological Association of Japan (PAJ). Thus, I did not "win".

See also:

Applied to represent NoSP at PAJ conference

”Synchronicity in human perception of animals” paper presented at NoSP2016

Today I have attended the session at NoSp 2016 “Phenomenological Approaches to the Anthropological Difference”, and, herein, presented my paper ”Synchronicity in human perception of animals”. Some 15 people were present.

Book review "Discourses gone astray" (not) featured in "Education and multilingualism"

Routledge (Taylor & Francis) wrote me notifying me that my article (book review) "Discourses gone astray: restoring animality, humanity, and language" is featured in their Education and Multilingualism collection. However, I don´t see it there.

NoSP 2016 conference opening attended

Here at NoSP 2016: Phenomenology and Beyond (Reykjavik April 21-23) I have today attended the opening of the conference and the keynote speech given by Shaun Gallagher. I am attending the conference with my 3 year old son, and therefore miss out on a lot of sessions.

Joint research application

I´ve recently met with a researcher from IRIS - International Research Institute of Stavanger to discuss the possibility of a joint research application. We agreed to continue the process and meet again soon.

Program and abstract book for Code Biology 3 now online

Program and abstract book for the Third International Conference in Code Biology (Urbino, Italy 24-28 May, 2016) are now online.

My abstract with Paul Thibault, "Proto-language in wolves", is to be found on p. 27 in the abstract book.

Family trip to Italy conference

I have recently arranged my trip for the Third International Conference in Code Biology (Urbino, Italy 24-28 May, 2016). My whole family will accompany me (wife + 3 children). This will be our twins´ first trip abroad.

Work meeting on wolf communicative acts

Today I met with my collaborator Paul Thibault at University of Agder to continue our work on two joint articles. We spent the time discussing the article formerly referred to as the "Proto-language in wolves" article (though the focus is changing somewhat).

Cover of "Thinking about animals in the age of the Anthropocene"

See here for info from the publisher, Lexington Books (Rowman & Littlefield).

"Umwelt Theory For Our Time" application presented; expert feedback

Today I presented my application-in-process "Umwelt Theory For Our Time" for an expert panel organized by the University of Stavanger´s Research and Innovation Department. Half an hour was devoted to each application/idea, including feedback.

New job application

Yesterday I applied for the position as Head of Department of Nordic and Media Studies at University of Agder.

Fourth round of Delphi study on play

Yesterday I responded to the fourth and final part of the Delphi study on play I have been involved with as an expert on the topic (see also previous posts).

Program for seminar on Alice Crary´s Inside Ethics

On April 25th, Cato Wittusen and I organise a seminar at University of Stavanger, in the name of the research area (programområde) "Conditions of normativity", at the occasion of the publication of Alice Crary´s book Inside Ethics: On the Demands of Moral Thought (Harvard University Press, 2016).

Program: 

12.00-12.15 Welcome - Cato Wittusen, Universitetet i Stavanger

12.15-12.30  ”On Human-Animal Studies/Anthrozoology” - Kristin Armstrong Oma, Universitetet i Stavanger/AMS

12.30-13.30 ”Inside Ethics - On the Demands of Moral Thought” - Alice Crary,  The New School for Social Research, New York

13.30-14.00 Break

14.00-14.45 ”Comments on chapter 3, ’More on Animal Minds: Dogs and Concepts’" - Kevin M. Cahill, Universitetet i Bergen

14.45-15.30 "Comments on the book with an eye to animal ethics and Human-Animal Studies" - Morten Tønnessen, Universitetet i Stavanger

15.30-16.00 Discussion

Expert review submitted to Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung

I have just composed and submitted an expert review in relation to a collaborator´s application for a Humboldt Research Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung.

"Thinking about animals..." book received

Today I received my two copies of our book Thinking about animals in the age of the Anthropocene (Lexington Books, April 2016). Good to have it here.

"Facts not enough" dissemination article referred to in Jeger news story

A news story published on Jeger.no November 17th 2015, "Fakta ikke nok i ulvedebatten" [Facts not enough in debate on wolves], refers to a longer story featuring my research published on forskning.no November 16th, "Fakta er ikke nok i ulvedebatten" [Facts are not enough in debate on wolves].

Jeger.no is the online version of the Norwegian magazine Jeger [hunter].

Uexkullian Bio-Ontology paper cited in Castro´s doctoral thesis

My paper    

Tønnessen, Morten 2001. Outline of an Uexkullian Bio-Ontology. Sign Systems Studies 29 (2): 683–691. 

is cited in

Castro Garcia, Òscar 2015. Filosofía de la Biología Cognitiva. Enfoque biosemiótico de la cognición en organismos sin sistema nervioso: El caso de los Mixomicetos. Doctoral thesis. Barcelona: Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

Excerpt (p. 30, incl. footnote 80):

La interrelación de la red biosemiótica de conceptos utilizados aquí – membrana, signo, sitio activo, función, metabolismo, organismo, Umwelt, nichos, etc. – constituye una ontología regional (Husserl) de biología y semiótica, y de toda la biología, incluso la mayoría de las posibles interpretaciones reduccionistas80. 

80. Esto va en contra del argumento de Morten Tønnessen (2001) que afirma que los conceptos universales de la biología es imposible, porque podríamos imaginar formas de vida completamente diferente de las que conocemos. La generalización aquí puede caer en una falacia donde las condiciones no deban de cumplir con los requisitos conceptuales expuestos. En el caso de conocer una forma contrapuntística de vida diferente a la organizada a través del carbono podría ofrecer (o no) una negación a este argumento.

Roughly translated to English:

The interrelation of the biosemiotic network of concepts used here - membrane, sign, active site, function, metabolism, organism, Umwelt, niches, etc. - constitutes a regional ontology (Husserl) of biology and semiotics, and (all) biology, including most possible reducionist interpretations80. 

80. This goes against the argument of Morten Tønnessen (2001) who states that universal concepts of biology is impossible, because we could imagine ways of life completely different from those we know. This generalization can fall into a fallacy when conditions do not meet the conceptual requirements set. In the case we get to know about different ways of organizing life than carbon-based life forms, this might (or might not) offer a rejection of this argument.

Draft paper on scientists´ view on economic growth and the environment

Some time back I responded, upon invitation, to an interesting survey on attitude to economic growth. I have now received a draft paper by Stefan Drews og Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh, entitled "Scientists’ views on economic growth and the environment: The role of research fields, expertise, and ideology", which sums up the survey findings.

Supervision - third session

Yesterday and today I have supervised my three bachelor students in writing bachelor thesis in child welfare. This was the third session out of four.

"Thinking about animals..." book in Google Books

Our book Thinking about animals in the age of the Anthropocene, published now in April by Lexington Books, is now partially available in Google Books.

Third Biosemiotics editorial published online: "Comprehending the semiosis of evolution"

Our third editorial has just been published online.

Reference:

Sharov, Alexei, Timo Maran and Morten Tønnessen (2016). Comprehending the semiosis of evolution. Editorial. Biosemiotics 9(1). Published online April 4th 2016 (DOI: 10.1007/s12304-016-9262-7).

Interview on GPS-tracking of wolves on Swedish radio

Today an interview with me, Katarina Cvek (pictured below, right) and Olof Liberg aired on Swedish public radio Sveriges Radio (P1), in the program "Vetandets värld" [The world of knowledge]. The 17m interview was conducted by Sara Sällström. Link to podcast is available from "När vilda djur blir försöksdjur" [When wild animals become laboratory animals].

Not Head of Department

Today I was notified that I am not included in the recommendation of the evaluation committee considering candidates for Head of department of Department of social studies and Department of Media, Culture and Social Sciences respectively at University of Stavanger (see previous posts on my job applications). At Department of social studies, there will be a new call for applicants.

Biosemiotics editorial on evolution proof-read

Today I have taken part in proof-reading our editorial for Biosemiotics 9(1), "Comprehending the Semiosis of Evolution".

Work on three wolf-related articles

Today I met with colleague Paul Thibault to commence work on two articles related to field work on human perceptions of wolves and related animals, and one article on proto-language in wolves.

”Synchronicity in human perception of animals” paper scheduled for presentation April 22

My paper ”Synchronicity in human perception of animals” has been scheduled for presentation at NoSP 2016: Phenomenology and Beyond (Reykjavik April 21-23) on Friday April 22nd at 12.15-12.45 (in the session “Phenomenological Approaches to the Anthropological Difference”, convened by Cristian Ciocan).