Half writing day

Today I had half an article writing day devoted to revision of my article "Human ecology in the Amazonas and beyond: An ecosemiotic analysis". I deleted some 260 more words than I wrote. This brings total number of writing days this autumn up to 30,5.

27,5th article writing day; revision plans; book plans

Today I have had half a writing day, with some 2,5 hours devoted to various academic writing work. This includes planning for the revision of "Current human ecology in Amazonas and beyond: An ecosemiotic analysis", and for the book project Semiotic agency: Science beyond mechanism (see previous post about recent acceptance). I also wrote some 200 words on "What can be known about future Umwelten?"

This brings the total number of article writing days this autumn up to 27,5.

Lunch lecture at the County Governor of Rogaland

Today I gave a lunch seminar at Fylkesmannen i Rogaland (County Governor of Rogaland, a federal function in the counties), for employees in their Agricultural department and their Environmental department, titled "Rovdyr og natur fra Amazonas til Hjelmeland". Some 30 people attended.

Autumn´s 6,5th article writing day - Amazonas/global human ecology article finished

Today I have had the autumn´s 6,5th article writing day (and the 6,5th in August; one more than planned). The title changed again as I FINISHED "Current human ecology in Amazonas and beyond: An ecosemiotic analysis", adding some 1.200 words to the texts (net). 8.000 words written in August altogether.

Autumn´s 5,5th article writing day

Today I have had this autumns 5,5th article writing day, not quite finishing my article now called "Current human ecology in Amazonas and beyond in light of Umwelt theory" despite adding some 2.600 words.

Autumn´s fourth article writing day

Today I have had the autumn´s fourth article writing day, with some 6 hours devoted to work on my article "Current human ecology in light of the Umwelt theory: Human-animal relations in Amazonas and beyond", and more than 1000 words added.

Autumn´s third article writing day

Today I have had the autumn´s third article writing day. I further revised a book proposal I am co-authoring, and wrote some 1000 words on my article "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal relations in the Amazonas and beyond".

Autumn´s second article writing day

´Today I had the autumn´s second article writing day, with some 5,5 hours devoted to work on my article "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal interaction in the Amazonas and beyond". I had to do some serious thinking.

Autumn´s first article writing day

Today I have had this autumn´s first article writing day, with some 1000 words written on my article "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal interaction in Amazonas and beyond".

Spring´s tenth article writing day

Today I had this Spring´s tenth article writing day - and the fourth in April, with 4 hours (regrettably not more) devoted to proof-reading our Journal of Comparative Social Work editorial, and adding on to the texts of "The true value of "doing well" economically" and "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal interaction in Amazonas and beyond". Both the latter articles now stand at about 3.000 words, with full drafts expected next week.

Spring´s ninth article writing day

Today I had this Spring´s ninth article writing day, with 6 hours devoted to finalizing our editorial for Journal of Comparative Social Work "Welfare in Latin America and the Nordic countries - editorial notes" (co-written with Sarah Hean, Siv Oltedal and Angela Pena), and working on my article "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory - Human-animal interaction in Amazonas and beyond".

Spring´s eighth article writing day

Today I have had this Spring´s eighth article writing day, with 6 hours devoted to starting properly on "The true value of doing well economically" and "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human-animal interaction in Amazonas and beyond". Altogether I wrote (or inserted and edited, from a presentation) some 2.700 words.

Abstract for hybrid natures special issue: "Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human–animal interaction in Amazonas and beyond"

I have just composed or rather edited the abstract below, for an invited article to a forthcoming special issue of Biosemiotics.

***

Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory: Human–animal interaction in Amazonas and beyond

Author: Morten Tønnessen

ABSTRACT

Umwelt theory is an expression of Uexküll´s subjective biology and as such it is usually applied in analysis of individual animals, but the theory is fundamentally relational and therefore also suitable for analysis of more complex wholes. In this article I explore to what extent ecosemiotics can be applied in analysis of global human ecology. 

I portray the human species as a global speciesthat gives rise to multiple ecologies built around our presence. Towards many species, we behave like an unsustainable super-predator, and we reserve land for our affiliated species. We also affect the experience and behaviour of animals by causing environmental changes in land, water and air, by influencing prey densities and the occurrence of natural enemies, etc. To understand our changing relations to living beings and nature, we must be aware of the different forms relations can take on e.g. for wild, liminal and domesticated animals. Aiming to outline some of the most important characteristics of contemporary human ecology, I apply notions such as Umwelt transition, Umwelt trajectory, Umwelt aggregate, andUmwelt alignment. 

The article includes a case study of human–animal relations in Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in the Central Amazonas. This is a seasonal floodplain forest area surrounded by rivers in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. I investigate human–human and human–animal interaction in the reserve, with a main focus on indigenous communities and their relations to two primate species, namely the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) and the black-headed squirrel monkey (Saimiri vanzolinii).

Revised abstract for "Semiotics of hybrid natures" keynote

Below is my revised abstract for the forthcoming conference "Semiotics of hybrid natures: Anthropogenic ecosystems, multi modalities, transformed umwelten" (Tartu November 8-10th), where I will give a keynote lecture.

***

Current human ecology in light of Umwelt theory

Morten Tønnessen

Associate professor of philosophy, University of Stavanger

Umwelt theory is an expression of von Uexküll´s subjective biologyand as such it is usually applied in analysis of individual animals. However, Umwelt theory is fundamentally relational, and therefore also suitable for analysis of more complex wholes. Furthermore, depending on the level of generalization, Umwelt theory is also suitable for analysis of behavioral and experiential dynamics at a group level. A significant methodological advantage of Umwelt theory is that it is applicable with regard to both human and non-human experience and action within one of the same framework.

In our age, which many have come to call «the Anthropocene», the human species dominates many ecosystems, and has established a manifold of tightly controlled production systems and resource streams involving or affecting living creatures in both in-door and outdoor environments. In the Anthropocene discourse, the debate rages as to what level of human control is appropriate. 

Big picture-notions and planetary perspectives are important, but so is the subjective animal perspective that von Uexküll emphasized. To what extent can these be combined? In this presentation, I will explore to what extent ecosemiotics can be applied in analysis of global human ecology. I will do this by portraying the human species as a global speciesthat gives rise to multiple ecologies built around our presence. I will further discuss climate change in its relation to changing patterns of biodiversity and animal behavior.

One can hardly overestimate the effect the human species has even on wildlife, both wittingly and unwittingly. Towards many species, we behave like an unsustainable super-predator, and we reserve a lot of land for our affiliated species. We furthermore affect the experience and behaviour of animals by causing environmental changes in land, water and air, by influencing prey densities and the occurrence of natural enemies, etc.

In the course of this presentation, I will apply notions such as Umwelt transition, Umwelt trajectory, Umwelt aggregate, andUmwelt alignment, in an attempt to outline some of the most important characteristics of contemporary human ecology. To understand our changing relations to living beings and nature, we must be aware of the different forms relations can take on e.g. for wild, liminal and domesticated animals.

To avoid getting lost in the semiosphere, I will anchor some of my analysis in a case study of human–animal relations in Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in the Central Amazonas. This is a seasonal floodplain forest area surrounded by rivers in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. I will investigate human–human and human–animal interaction in the reserve, with a main focus on indigenous communities and their relations to two primate species, namely the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) and the black-headed squirrel monkey (Saimiri vanzolinii).

BIONOTE

Morten Tønnessen (born 1976) is Associate professor of philosophy at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies. He has worked with Umwelt theory since his Master degree (University of Oslo 2002), and conducted his doctoral studies at University of Tartu (2011). Tønnessen has published extensively within biosemiotics and human-animal studies, and is currently President of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies and Main Editor-in-Chief of Biosemiotics. Academic (b)log: http://UtopianRealism.blogspot.com.

Back from Amazonas; minor surgery

Yesterday I got back home from my field trip to the Amazonas. Today I underwent minor surgery in relation to a fistula I have amassed (I have Crohns), with insertion of a seton stitch. I am intending to do without any sick leave, except rest today and this weekend.

Four days in the Amazonas

For the last few days I have been at Pousada Uakari at the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in the Amazonas (in the municipality of Alvarães). I have attended a number of guided tours, mostly to observe wildlife, but also to visit the indigenous community São José, and heard two popular science lectures. The guides were either indigenous, from one of the communities in the area, or a residing naturalist.

Amazonas next

I am currently on my way to the Amazonas, for the first time. It is also my first trip alone to Brazil, even though I have traveled here some 8 times before.

Two more trips arranged

I have arranged travel and then some for two upcoming trips funded by YFF money - one to the Amazonas (through Manaus), and another one, a writing trip, to Tromsø. Both will take place this summer before I go for holiday (at home).