#9,5

Today I have had an article writing day, with writing work started on the journal article "Climate imaginaries and the contested future of economic growth", which I intend to submit to a special issue of Applied Research in Quality of Life. The article draws on my recent conference presentation with the same title at the 24th Annual Conference of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS 2026), «Beyond the Bluegrass: Harnessing Research to Enhance Quality of life», which as held at the University of Kentucky. In the process I added some 1.100 words to the manuscript.

This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 9,5 including 4,5 article writing days. 

#8,5; writing plan for Autumn 2026

Today I have had an article writing day which I have mostly used for planning. I completed the writing plan for Autumn 2026, which amounts to 13 book writing days and 17 article writing days, and altogether 30 writing days. This is not so much altogether (in comparison, I first planned for 45,5 writing days Autumn 2024), and involves less time for article writing days than I originally hoped for. That is partly because I am working overtime this Autumn with extra course coordinator, teaching and grading duties, and partly because contributing to the production process for my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic, Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, takes more time than I first planned for (as it turned out during checking of copy-edited files). I have adjusted article writing plans for this Autumn accordingly.

I also did a little work related to an article in process on a culturally sensitive Human Development Index (CSHDI) which I am co-authoring.

This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 8,5 including 3,5 article writing days.

Featured here and there in ISQOLS 2026 video and conference summary

The International Society for Quality-of-life Studies (ISQOLS) has released a brief video summarising its 2026 conference, which took place in Lexington, Kentucky earlier in August. Below are some screenshots from the video involving me.

I am also featured in some photos in ISQOLS´ conference summary online, as well as in a photo album shared among conference participants. 

Peer-review for Lexia

I recently did a peer-review for Lexia - Rivista di semiotica / Journal of semiotics.

To feature as commentator at COEVOLVERS Nature Based Solutions symposium August 27th

On August 27th I will take part as a commentator in the online symposium "The significance of semiotics in NBS co-creation", which is held by researchers involved in the ERC-funded research project "Coevolutionary approach to unlock the transformative potential of nature-based solutions for more inclusive and resilient communities (COEVOLVERS)". 

The symposium, which takes place 1-3 p.m. CET, features the following three presentations, with comments/questions from me:

• Juha Hiedanpää – Co-creating multispecies significance: Some lessons for spatial planning and decision-making 
• Beáta Pántya – Art-based Multisensory Methods for Healing Garden Co-Design 
• Lona Päll – How to Discover Interspecies Relations with Semiotic Methods?

To register, see the event webpage.

#7,5

Today I have had half a book writing day, with work done related to finishing organising my response to the copy-editing of the manuscript of my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic, Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism, and submitting it. This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 7,5 including 5 book writing days.

#7

Today I have had a book writing day, with work done related to copy-editing of the manuscript of my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic, Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism. This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 7 including 4,5 book writing days.

#6

Over the course of the last several days (specifically Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and today Sunday) I have conducted what altogether amounts to a book writing day, with work done related to copy-editing of the manuscript of my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic, Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism. This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 6 including 3,5 book writing days.

HDI/UNDP paper presented at ISQOLS 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky

Today, at the 24th Annual Conference of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS 2026), «Beyond the Bluegrass: Harnessing Research to Enhance Quality of life», which is held at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) August 11–14th, I have presented my paper «Alternative HDI thresholds for maximum income demonstrate significance for policy advice» as part of Session 7A «Well-being policy and measurement». Some 11 people attended. The session was chaired by Joseph Sirgy.

Economic growth in climate imaginaries paper presented at ISQOLS 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky

Today, at the 24th Annual Conference of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS 2026), «Beyond the Bluegrass: Harnessing Research to Enhance Quality of life», which is held at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) August 11–14th, I have presented my paper «Climate imaginaries and the contested future of economic growth» as part of Session 4E «Ecological sustainability, agriculture, and wellbeing». Some 11 people attended. The session was chaired by Jane Kolodinsky.

#5

Over the course of yesterday and today, I have had half a book writing day, with work done related to copy-editing of the manuscript of my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic, Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism. This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 5 including 2,5 book writing days.

Pre-conference workshop and horse farm tour attended in Lexington, Kentucky (USA)

I arrived in Lexington, Kentucky, late on Sunday August 9th. On Monday (i.e. yesterday) I attended the pre-conference workshop «A “Walkthrough” of Public US Wellbeing Datasets», with instructors Harry Brisson and Robert Moore, both representing the NGO Gross National Happiness USA (GNHUSA), along with about ten others. Today I have attended a Half-Day Thoroughbred Horse Farm Tour in Kentucky, along with about 15 others.

Over the next three days I will be attending the 24th Annual Conference of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS 2026), with the theme «Beyond the Bluegrass: Harnessing Research to Enhance Quality of life». The conference venue is University of Kentucky´s Gatton Student Center, in Lexington, Kentucky.

See also:

ISQOLS 2026 papers scheduled for presentation in Lexington, Kentucky August 13th and 14th

#4,5

Yesterday, on my travels over the Atlantic, I had half a book writing day, with work done related to copy-editing of the manuscript of my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic, Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism. This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 4,5 including 2 book writing days.

"Ecological semiotics" now paginated and published as part of 3rd edition of Encyclopedia of Ecology

I have received my author copy of my chapter "Ecological semiotics" which has now, two years after first being published, appeared as part of the 3rd edition of Elsevier´s Encyclopedia of Ecology.

Previous reference:

— Tønnessen, Morten 2024. Ecological semiotics. Chapter. Encyclopedia of Ecology (3rd edition) (Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences). Elsevier. 9 pp. Planned publication for encyclopedia volumes 2026 . Abstract online October 19th 2024; chapter published November 21st 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-21964-1.00018-5.    

New reference:

— Tønnessen, Morten 2026. Ecological Semiotics. In: Brian D. Fath (ed.) Encyclopedia of Ecology, 3rd Edition (Hardback ISBN: 9780443219641; eBook ISBN: 9780443219658), vol. 4, pp. 243–251. US: Elsevier. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-21964-1.00018-5

#4

Today I have had a book writing day, with work done related to copy-editing of the manuscript of my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism. This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 4 including 1,5 book writing days.

#3; book review "A primer on ecosemiotics and animal welfare" finished and submitted

Today I have had an article writing day, with some 1.200 words added to my book review of Interpreting, Communication and Animal Welfare by Xany Jansen van Vuuren for Biosemiotics in the process of finishing and submitting it. My review is titled "A primer on ecosemiotics and animal welfare". This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 3 including 2,5 article writing days.

Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism now featured online and available for pre-order

Information from Bloomsbury Academic about my forthcoming book Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism has now appeared online. Info includes book summary, Table of Contents, and a blurb by Peder Anker.

#2

Today I have had half a book writing day, with some planning made for the production process for my forthcoming book with Bloomsbury Academic Carbon Capture and the Future of Environmentalism. I also received copy-edited files and information about the production process from the book´s project manager at Integra Software Services, a company based in India which Bloomsbury Academic uses for producing my book. 

Moreover, I had half an article writing day, with some 400 words added to my book review of Interpreting, Communication and Animal Welfare for Biosemiotics. 

This brings the number of writing days this Autumn up to 2 including 1,5 article writing days and 0,5 book writing days.

Google scholar: 1647 citations; three most cited recent publications

According to my Google Scholar profile my research has to date attracted a total of 1.647 citations (+16 since June 30th). This includes 85 citations so far in 2026 (+12 since June 30th). My h-index remains 22 and my i10-index 47. 

Among texts published 2022 or later (not counting the book Semiotic Agency: Science beyond Mechanism, co-written with Alexei Sharov, which appeared in 2022 but has 2021 as official publication year - and which has been cited 15 times so far this year alone), my most cited texts are:

Wasted GDP in the USA (2023): 14

Recreation in the outdoors—exploring the friluftsliv experience of adolescents at residential care (with Joakim Jiri Haaland, 2022): 14

The evolutionary origin (s) of the Umwelt (2022): 12

Editorial board meeting of Biosemiotics attended in Sheffield

Today, during the fourth day of the 26th Gathering in biosemiotics, in Sheffield, UK, I attended the annual editorial board meeting of Biosemiotics.