Interviewed live on NRK P2 on Hvaldimir and celebrity animals

Yesterday, September 5th, I was interviewed live on Norwegian national radio as a guest in the program "Studio 2" which airs on NRK P2, under the headline "Hvorfor blir vi så glade i kjendisdyra?" (Why are we so fond of celebrity animals?). Program host was Einar Lie Slangsvold. The interview ran for 14-15 minutes. The specific occasion for the interview was that the white whale nick-named "Hvaldimir" was found dead on the Norwegian coast about a week ago.

Paper "A biosemiotic perspective on the environmental crisis" accepted for presentation at (Un)Common Worlds III conference

I have been notified by the conference organizers that my paper "A biosemiotic perspective on the environmental crisis" has been accepted for presentation at the conference (Un)Common Worlds III Human-Animal Studies Conference (to be held at University of Oulu, University and Derby and online October 4-6th).

Chapter abstract: "The true value of “doing well” economically"

Below is my abstract, finished today, for a prospective book chapter to be written this Spring.

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Chapter title: The true value of “doing well” economically

Author: Morten Tønnessen

  

Abstract:

Recent efforts to go beyond GDP as a measure of economic performance raise important questions about the nature of the economy, including: What is the best measure of a sound, flourishing economy? And what is the purpose of “doing well” in economic terms? One possible measure of the soundness of the economy could be the extent to which it results in better lives for humans – a thought that has inspired measures such as the HDI, among others. In the bigger picture, a sound, flourishing economy should also be consistent with good, and perhaps optimal, lives for non-humans, and well-functioning ecosystems. On this measure, economics should not be an altogether anthropocentric enterprise. To go beyond anthropocentric notions of economic performance, a degree of integration between economics, philosophy (normative ethics and philosophical anthropology included) and biology is required. A merely economic outlook can easily lead to commodification of each and every organism and natural resource, thus neglecting the agency, interests and intrinsic value of animals and other non-humans. To truly “serve all”, economists should acknowledge that there are economic stakeholders beyond humans, in the sense that the living conditions of practically all non-humans on this planet are today affected by human economic activities. This would make economics more compatible with current outlooks in normative ethics with regard to the value of animals, biodiversity etc., and could be part of a radical reconceptualization of the nature of the economy where economic value is situated within value theory in a wider sense.

Chronicle in Dagbladet with Siri Martinsen

Yesterday a chronicle that I co-wrote with Siri Martinsen (NOAH - for dyrs rettigheter) was published in Norwegian national daily Dagbladet, titled "Hvor like er mennesker og dyr?" (How similar are humans and animals?)

Dyreetikkonferansen 2018 held; video online

Today I chaired and co-arranged Dyreetikkonferansen 2018, the Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference 2018, which had the topic "Hvor like er mennesker og dyr?" (How similar are humans and animals?). Some 100 people attended. The venue this year was NMBU Veterinærhøyskolen.

The conference was streamed. Video is now available via YouTube.

Minding Animals Norway shuts down

Today I attended the annual meeting of Minding Animals Norway along with one more person. We decided to shut down the organization, which has had an inactive board for more than a year.

I have been the chair of Minding Animals Norway since its inception in 2011.

Paper presentation on changing nature view at Oslo "Jakt i endring" gathering

The last two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, I have attended the first gathering in the more-than-scientific network "Jakt i endring" (one of six national networks on conservation and utilization of outer pastures funded by MILJØFORSK and BIOFORSK). The gathering took place at Oslo Science Park.

On Tuesday, I presented my paper "Jakten på det gode liv - pågående endringer i natur- og menneskesyn".

Title of presentation for June 5th talk at hunting-themes gathering

On June 5th at 14.30 to 15.15 I will be presenting the paper "Jakten på det gode liv - pågående endringer i natur- og menneskesyn" during the first gathering of the research network "Jakt i endring", in Oslo.

Second print run for human-animal studies anthology

Our book Hvem er villest i landet her? Råskap mot dyr og natur i Antropocen, menneskets tidsalder has just been printed with a second print run (first print run was in 2013). See publisher´s book presentation here. I think this is the first time a book I have co-edited has had a second print run.

Heading for Mexico

I am about to board a plane heading for Amsterdam, after which I will transfer to a plane for Mexico City, where the 4th international Minding Animals Conference is held January 17-24th.

"Animals in Norwegian Political Party Programs" article proof-read

I have just proof-read this forthcoming article of mine:

Tønnessen, Morten, forthcoming 2018. Animals in Norwegian Political Party Programs: A Critical Reading. In Hannes Bergthaller and Peter Mortensen (eds), Framing the Environmental Humanities (Studies in Environmental Humanities 5). Leiden: Brill – Rodopi, 103–123.

Minding Animals research seminar 2017 held; wolf ethics talk given

In the evening of Monday November 20th, I co-organized and presented at the annual research seminar of Minding Animals Norway. About 20 people attended. While my presentation was entitled "Merket for livet - Etiske spørsmål knyttet til forvaltning av og forskning på ulv" (a redo of my presentation at Vargsymposiet 2016), the research seminar also featured:

• Norun Pernell Haugen: "Lidelsen vi ikke ser - hvordan vi kategoriserer dyrs lidelse for å skjule den for oss selv"
• Martin Lee Müller: "Being salmon, being human"
• Kevin Hermansen: "Dyrepoliti i Norge og Sverige"

Change in MAN board

Shabana Rehman, who was elected as a member of the board of Minding Animals Norway this winter, has withdrawn from the board.

To take part in "Philosophy and Animals" panel

In Bulletin 43 issued by Minding Animals International, I am listed as one of the panelists in the panel "Philosophy and Animals", which is to be held during Minding Animals Conference 4, in Mexico City in January 2018.

Ethology panel in Mexico City cancelled

The ethology panel I was to be part of at the 4th Minding Animals Conference has been cancelled due to lack of interest from other scholars.

Sales data for "Thinking about animals..."

According to a royalty statement from Lexington Books (Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group), our book Thinking about Animals in the Age of the Anthropocene  sold 114 copies last year, 24 of which have been returned (net sale: 90, i.e. 82 Cloth and 8 Electronic).

Board meeting - MAN

I have just chaired a board meeting of Minding Animals Norway, via Skype.

"Urban animals" special issue available via Academia.edu

Lo Squaderno no. 42, "Urban animals", has been uploaded to Academia.edu, includes my article "Urban corvids: A bird´s-eye view of towns and cities".

To take part in two panels at MAC4, Mexico City

I will take part in a panel on "Animals and philosophy", and another on "Animals, history and ethology" during Minding Animals Conference 4, which is to be held in Mexico City January 17-24th 2018.

MAN board meeting

Today I chaired the second board meeting of the new board of Minding Animals Norway. Among other things we made plans for a first Oslo work meeting, and discussed our use of Facebook and other social media.