Guest lecture on global human empire held in Oslo

On Wednesday February 11th, in Domus Nova in downtown Oslo, I guest-lectured at University of Oslo´s Department of criminology and sociology of law, in the course on green criminology (now called "Grønn (øko-global) kriminologi" [Green [eco-global] criminology]). The title of my talk was (as last year) «Menneskeveldet – menneskets globale økologiske hierarki» [The human empire - humankind´s global ecological hierarchy]. 15 students or so were present.

Book review for Sosiology idag proof-read yet again; reference

Today I have conducted yet another proof-reading (now page proofs) of my forthcoming review of Rune Ellefsen´s book. Reference:

Tønnessen, Morten 2015. Rune Ellefsen 2013. Med lov til å pine: Om bruk og beskyttelse av dyr. Oslo: Inspirator Forlag/Fritt Forlag. Book review. Sosiologi i dag 45(1) (Special Issue on „Miljøsosiologi“ [Environmental sociology]): 98–103.

Book review for sociology journal proof-read (again)

Roughly a couple of weeks ago I proof-read (for the second time) my forthcoming book review for Sosiology idag on Rune Ellefsen´s book Med rett til å pine.

To guest-lecture at University of Oslo (again)

I have agreed to guest-lecture at University of Oslo's Department of criminology and sociology of law, on February 11th 2015, in a course on green criminology. The title of my talk is "Menneskeveldet - menneskets globale økologiske hierarki" (also offered previous years).

This year Ragnhild Sollund and Rune Ellefsen are course coordinators.

Oslo II - belated report

November 11th I gave my talk 'Ulovlig jakt på ulv' (Illegal wolf hunting) in Kriminalpolitisk seminar in Oslo (University of Oslo), cf. preliminary posts. About an hour - followed by remarks by professor emeritus Nils Christie, and general discussion. There were perhaps 30 people in the audience, and the discussion was engaged and lively, not least since Christie positioned himself - at least initially - as somewhat 'anti-wolf'. He interpreted the 'wolf wars' as a social (i.e. human-human) conflict, and sided with the weak part, which he took to be rural wolf antagonists. Interestingly, Christie accepted my portrayal of the wolf as a symbol for other rural and agricultural hardships - but we disagree on whether or not it makes any sense to 'give the wolf antagonists this victory' (getting rid of the wolf). In my analysis, it wouldn't change the underlying frustration with current developments, and so would be a shallow solution in the sense of Arne Næss' deep ecology; in Christies, "they deserve it". We agreed, however, on the topic of illegal wolf hunting, that it would be a good sign, and further the public debate on wolf management, if those who partake in poaching of wolves could step forward and admit to, and defend, what they do.

In addition to giving the abovementioned presentation, I
* met with eco-criminologists Ragnhild Sollund and Guri Larsen concerning our human-animal relations anthology in-progress
* spent some time at Gentle Actions, meeting with David Rothenberg, David Abram and Per Ingvar Haukeland
* met my colleague in edutainment François Sibbald (our conference concept ARC (Authority - role - communication) - is in progress and scheduled for release early next summer).

I was, that time around, in Oslo Nov. 10-12.

References, green criminology

My article The legality and ethical legitimacy of wolf hunting in Scandinavia is mentioned as one out of six articles in 'øko-global kriminologi' (eco-global criminology) from a NsFK research seminar report on the Nordic eco-global criminology site.

The latest Nordic green criminology newsletter, administered by Rune Ellefsen, mentions these six articles indirectly and also the Oslo Minding Animals event to take place October 14th, 2011.

Criminology publication - wolf hunting

I have just found out that my article "The legality and ethical legitimacy of wolf hunting in Scandinavia" has just been published in the Research seminar report 52 (pp 65-72) of the Scandinavian Council for Criminology. Publication date is (approximately) October.

The paper is the revised outcome of my presentation at Hønefoss in May.

It is one of six papers in the section "Økologisk kriminalitet" (Ecological crime), along with papers by Guri Larsen, Sigurd S. Dybing, Rune Ellefsen, Nicolay B. Johansen ("The problem with green criminology") and Per-Anders Svärd.

Contents:
* Intro
* From extermination campaigns to coservation policies
* Perception and symbolism
* Hunting ethics
* Concluding observations

Academic news in brief IX

1) Saturday - two days ago - I finished my quarterly report for the research project "The Cultural Heritage of Environmental Spaces. A Comparative Analysis Between Estonia and Norway" (5pp).
2) In the process of this year's doctoral attestation review, I was informed that my doctoral school should be the Estonian Graduate School of Culture Studies and Arts (GSCSA) (application submitted).
3) The interview with professor in biosemiotics Kalevi Kull (my supervisor), conducted by me and Riin Magnus, has now been fully transcribed, and is in the process of being edited ("The bio-translator"). The final text will include a full biosemiotic bibliography, and replies to questions by Don Favareau, Timo Maran and Paul Cobley.
4) A couple of weeks ago, on the 21st of June, I met in Oslo with green criminologists Ragnhild Sollund and Guri Larsen to develop our planned anthology on human-animal and human-nature relations. We have sketched the topics of around 18 chapters and discussed potential contributors. Invitations to participate will likely be sent in August.

5) The 'opponent' (commentator) at my presentation on illegal wolf hunting in the seminar series Kriminalpolitisk seminar (University of Oslo) in November will likely be professor of criminology Kjersti Ericsson (1944-). Program for the series appears here.
6) Yesterday John Deely - who will this autumn publish Medieval Philosophy Redefined - agreed that we will submit a book proposal (for softcover publication) involving the four first semioethics interviews. I am very much looking forward to that enterprise.
7) Faithful to tradition, Marcello Barbieri has published photos from the 10th gathering in biosemiotics, which took place in Braga, Portugal, a week ago.
8) Through my company, Spør Filosofen, I have been booked for a philosophical presentation of "The future of the growth economy" at Aker Maritime Hydraulics (by the Aker MH philosophy and literature group).

Previous posts:
Academic news in brief VIII
Academic news in brief VII
Academic news in brief VI
Academic news in brief V
Academic news in brief IV
Academic news in brief III
Academic news in brief II
Academic news in brief I (March 30, 2009)

Presentation at criminology seminar

I have agreed to give a talk in an open criminology seminar, "Kriminalpolitisk seminar", arranged by Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law (University of Oslo), November 11th (14.15-16.00). The topic is "Illegal wolf hunting" ("Ulovlig jakt på ulv").

Hønefoss: Research seminar; green criminology and anthology on speciesism

I am on my way back from Hønefoss, not too far from Oslo, where I have spent 2-3 days at the 52nd research seminar of the Nordic Council for Criminology. Really nice. I am surprised how many common interests there were.

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My paper "The legality and ethical legitimacy of wolf hunting in Scandinavia" was presented yesterday at 11.30-12 in a group session, with an audience of 20-25 people (almost half of all attendents). It was well received - though the paper presented before and after sparked more debate, due to their defense, vs. critique, of 'green criminology'/'eco-global criminology' as such.

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Encountering green criminology for the first time, it strikes med how similar it is to other fields of 'green' this or that. It is really interesting to recognize ethical stands, rhetorical figures etc (here: 'crime' - if not 'justice' - applied in a metaphorical sense) that I am already well familiar with. From a critical point of view, I see there are statements made in green criminology that are based more in political stands than in academic analysis. Solid norms for such analysis, and for how crossdisciplinary findings can be integrated, would be of great value.

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All papers presented at the research seminar - mine included - will be published in form of an online report at some point following submittance in mid-June.

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I have made several contacts - among them criminologists Ragnhild Sollund (editor of Global harms: Ecological crime and speciesism) and Guri Larsen. Stepping out of the bus taking us back to Oslo, we agreed that the three of us will co-edit a Norwegian language anthology on speciesism and related issues.

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Oh! I should also mention that yesterday, during the festive, 4-hour dinner, the three of us took part in a remake of Little Red Riding Hood - with me figuring as the wolf, Guri as the grandmother ("Eat me, I'm a green criminologist" Eat me, eat me, please!") and Ragnhild as Little Red Riding Hood ("Are you still hungry? Would you like to eat some more people? There's a kindergarten down the street, and a senior home in the neighbourhood...").

Academic news in brief VII

1. The last couple of weeks I have conducted two work papers (6-8pp) reviewing The tacit dimension and chapters of a forthcoming Polanyi-reader, as course work in the course "The philosophy of Michael Polanyi", which I am taking as a reading course. I have established contact with Phil Mullins, who has - along with my course teacher Walter Gulick - suggested Polanyi's article "Sense-giving and sense-reading" as a link to my interests. A further three work papers on Polanyi's work are in process.

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2. Yesterday I finally finished reworking and rewriting my article 'I, wolf: The ecology of existence', with revisions prompted by the critique of David Abram and others. To appear in an anthology this year.

FROM THE INTRODUCTION
Judging by appearances, this article is divided into five parts – under the headings ‘The politics of wolves and sheep’, ‘Estranged, endangered, extinct’, ‘Human beings qua living beings – distinctive being vs. communal being’, ‘Man is not a sign’ and ‘In search of the wolf’s perspective’. But the reader could rightfully claim that but two topics are to be identified in the matrix of this text: The nature of the wolf, and the nature of man.3 These two topics are methodologically problematic for two different reasons: Man’s nature because we are the topic to be investigated, and can thus not judge it without bias; the wolf’s nature because we are not wolves and can thus not know firsthand what it is like to be a wolf.

3. My paper 'The legality and ethical legitimacy of wolf hunting in Scandinavia' has been scheduled for presentation in group 1 (one out of three in 'green criminology'), at 12.30, Tuesday May 11th at the 52nd research seminar of the Scandinavian Reseach Council for Criminology.

4. Two days ago, Wednesday May 5th, I went back and forth to Oslo in one day, and spent a couple of hours researching at the National Library (Nasjonalbiblioteket) in the process, logged in through their license for using LovData, a Norwegian database of laws and regulations.

5. Yesterday I was interviewed in the regional daily newspaper Fædrelandsvennen, in connection with three readings I will be doing today and tomorrow. Will be published tomorrow.

6. One of the readings is philosophical and will take place in a fair trade-shop in Kristiansand, as part of the event Kulturnatta. My theme: 'Frigjøring' [liberation] - May 8th happens to be both the day of liberation (WW2) and the international fair trade-day.

7. Meanwhile, we, the guest editors of Hortos Semioticus' special issue Semiotics of Nature, have been receiving full-length papers from contributors.