Verdibørsen interview on human and animal dignity aired

The interview with me, Teodor Bruu (leader of Grønn Ungdom, the youth wing of the Norwegian Green Party) and philosopher Henrik Syse on human and animal dignity aired today in NRK P2´s Verdibørsen, with the title "Er menneskeverdet blitt ekskluderende, på bekostning av dyr?" (Has human dignity come to be excluding, at the cost of animals?) (26m). Program host was Karen Frivik. Podcast is available here.

Work hours logged in 2018

In 2018 I logged some 2955,5 work hours. This results in a weekly all-year average of 56,7 hours - the most since 2012 (when I became a father). 

The most significant repriorization concerned quitting elected positions in the Green Party of Norway, bringing time spent on research back to normal, and spending more time on book projects than ever before in the time covered (starting with 2009) - namely 20% of my work hours. I have also spent slightly more time on my role as Editor-in-Chief of Biosemiotics, after I took over as Main EiC this last summer.

The work year 2017 summarized

In 2017 I worked for some 2.863 hours, resulting in a weekly average of 54,9 hours. This is about 1.213 hours more than a normal work year, or 1,735 times as much. 

Last year I worked relatively less with what I characterize as academic work, and slightly more with both book projects and "other work" (including a lot of time spent doing voluntary work for the Norwegian Green Party). 

This had a negative impact on my work hours spent on research, with the lowest percentage post-2011 - but "research" nevertheless narrowly ended up as the biggest single work category, yet again. While Green Party work and time spent on book projects had record highs, the categories for my Philosophy business Spør filosofen, music, administration and "writer" (besides research and book projects) had record lows. 

Interview on utopian thinking on Verdibørsen; aired

This morning I was interviewed in studio at NRK Rogaland by Mathias Nylenna (via connection to Oslo) for NRK P2´s program Verdibørsen. The topic was utopian thinking, in light of Rutger Bregman´s book "Utopia for realists", which has just appeared in Norwegian. The interview was aired in today´s program.

Chair of academic-political panel on green jobs

Yesterday I chaired and co-organised "Grønt Symposium" (Green symposium) at Mellombels Ølstove in Bryne, Norway. The panel, discussing green business and jobs, consisted of two politicians, one environmentalist and two scholars, my UiS colleagues Rune Dahl Fitjar and Klaus Mohn (both economists). The symposium, which attracted some 100 people, was organised by Time and Rogaland Green Party.

Work hours 2016

Yesterday I looked over my logged work hours in 2016. Altogether I worked for 2.901 hours, which amounts to an average work week of 55,5 hours (vs. 54,6 hours in 2015). Of this 64,9% was spent on academic work (vs. 75% in 2015), 14,1% on book projects etc. (vs. 8,5% in 2015) and 21% on "other" activities (vs. 16,5% in 2015). Among activities that contributed to more spent time doing "other" activities were the Green Party, administrative work (for one thing because we bought a house and moved), and music-making.

Book bath on green economics moderated

On October 31st I moderated a "book bath" organized by the Green Party of Stavanger, featuring Svein Hammer and Eivind Hoff-Elimari, both of whom have this year authored books dealing with green economics. Some 20 people attended.

Radio appearance discussing culling of healthy zebra in Kristiansand Zoo

Today I appeared on regional Norwegian radio, on NRK Sørlandet, discussing the ethics of culling healthy zoo animals - specifically a zebra culled by Kristiansand Zoo recently (and wolves and kangaroos the last couple of years). I did this as chair of the Kristiansand division of the Green Party of Norway. A news story entitled "- Uetisk av dyreparken å avlive friske dyr" [Unethical of the zoo to cull healthy animals] also appeared this evening, based on the radio discussion.

Minding Animals Norway mentioned in Norwegian parliament debate on fur farming

On December 8th, Minding Animals Norway was mentioned in a debate in the Norwegian parliament, by our previous board member Une Aina Bastholm (Green Party of Norway). The debate concerned animal welfare/the living conditions of fur animals. Bastholm pointed out that Minding Animals Norway, "an academic network", is among the organizations and institutions opposing fur farming. Bastholm´s parliament speech is available here (in Norwegian).

Letter to the editor on UiS´ study portfolio

On July 27th a Letter to the editor written by Torfinn Ingeborgrud (member of Stavanger city council for the Green party) and me was published in the Norwegian regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad. The text was titled "Tid for grønnere studieportefølje" [Time for a greener study portfolio]. I signed as Associate professor in philosophy at University of Stavanger.

Talk on future of growth given in Kristiansand

Yesterday I gave a talk on "Grønn økonomi - Visjoner og muligheter" [Green economics - Visions and possibilities] at a seminar/theme night organised by The Green Party in Kristiansand, Norway, along with André Tribbensee. Some 16 people were present.

Lecture on green economics/the future of growth in Kristiansand 23/2

Tomorrow I will give a brief lecture/introductory talk on "Grønn økonomi - Visjoner og muligheter" [Green economics - Visions and possibilities] at a seminar/theme night organised by The Green Party in Kristiansand, Norway, along with André Tribbensee. My talk will be based on my 2008 article "The statistician´s guide to Utopia: The future of growth".

Animal ethics and HAS presented at Stavanger Green Party meeting

Yesterday I presented my paper "Et dyrs iboende verdi" [An animal´s inherent value]" during the regular meeting (members´ meeting) of Stavanger´s Green Party. I talked for close to an hour. Some 20-25 people were present. 

To talk about animal ethics at meeting of the Green Party of Stavanger

On Monday 10th of November I will offer a lecture of sorts at an open meeting of the Green Party of Stavanger. The meeting starts at 6 pm. The title of my talk is "Et dyrs iboende verdi" [An animal´s inherent value]. I do this representing University of Stavanger and Minding Animals Norway.

The event has a Facebook page.

Referred to in commentary by Green Youth/Green Party representative Lage Nøst

On June 28 I was mentioned in a letter to the editor/commentary written by Lage Nøst, secretary of the Green Party of Stavanger and member of the leadership (arbeidsutvalg) of Green Youth Norway, and published in the Norwegian regional daily Rogalands avis. The commentary is entitled "Den som tier samtykker" [The one who remains silent agrees], and addresses the lack of debate on the research ethics of petroleum research among employees and students at University of Stavanger. He refers to my attempt to challenge students at UiS to discuss this.

See also NENT's PDF document on media coverage of the debate on the research ethics of petroleum research, pages 52-53.

Green Party press release on poultry welfare featuring Minding Animals

Minding Animals Norway was featured in a press release from Norway's Green Party released April 3rd and entitled "Vil ha kylling på Stortinget" [Want(s) chicken in Parliament]. The occasion for the press release was the seminar on animal welfare in the poultry industry co-arranged by Minding Animals Norway and the Green Party on April 7th. The seminar program was attached to the press release, where the Green Party states that they want animal welfare for chickens to be on the political agenda, and want the Norwegian parliament to discuss the poultry industry's future.

See also:

Parliament seminar on poultry welfare organised; introductory talk given

Minding Animals parliament seminar reported on in poultry industry magazine

Report from poultry welfare seminar in MAI bulletin #22

Parliament seminar on poultry welfare organised; introductory talk given

On Monday April 7th Minding Animals Norway and Norway's Green Party co-arranged a seminar on animal welfare in the poultry industry in Norway's parliament. The programme included presentations by representatives of Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Ole Fjetland, Mattilsynet), The Council for Animal Ethics (Solveig Marie Stubsjøen, Rådet for dyreetikk), Norwegian Veterinary Institute (Cecilie Mejdell, Veterinærinstituttet) and the poultry industry itself, Norwegian poultry association (Jan Arne Broen, Norsk fjørfelag). Also, a farmer, Halvor Olsen (running Holte gård) presented his experiences after investing in animal welfare.

I was responsible for organising the seminar along with Une Aina Bastholm, and also gave a 10 minute introductory talk, entitled "Dyrevelferd i kyllingnæringen - innledning" [Animal welfare in the poultry industry - introduction]. Some 30 people representing 12 NGOs and industry bodies attended.

See also:

Report from poultry welfare seminar in MAI bulletin #22

Minding Animals parliament seminar reported on in poultry industry magazine

Report from poultry welfare seminar in MAI bulletin #22

In the last issue of the Bulletin of Minding Animals International there is a 1-page report from the April 7th Minding Animals Norway/Norway's Green Party seminar on animal welfare in the poultry industry arranged in the Norwegian parliament, written by Une Aina Bastholm and myself and entitled "Report from seminar on animal welfare in poultry production in Norway's parliament".

See also:

Minding Animals parliament seminar reported on in poultry industry magazine

Minding Animals parliament seminar reported on in poultry industry magazine

The seminar on poultry welfare which Minding Animals Norway co-organised with Norway's Green Party in the Norwegian Parliament April 7th is reported on in an article in the magazine Fjørfe (no. 4/ 2014). The article, "Kylling på Stortinget" [Chicken(s) in Parliament], is written by Pål Grønbeck, the general manager of Norsk Fjørfelag [Norwegian poultry association], which publishes the magazine. 

Member of parliament (Green Party) responds to chronicle on petroleum research

In a letter to the editor entitled "Kunnskap for fremtidens Norge" [Knowledge for the future Norway], Rasmus Hansson, a member of parliament representing the Green Party of Norway, refers to my chronicle "Hva slags forskning er etisk forsvarlig?" [What kind(s) of research is ethically justifiable?], which was published in the Norwegian daily Aftenposten Monday this week. Hansson writes that the Green Party in their alternative government budget proposes to increase research supporting green reorganization of society, including renewable energy, and to reduce petroleum investments, research and subsidies.

See also:

Chronicle on Norwegian universities' petroleum research in Aftenposten

Chronicle on petroleum research linked to by student NGO, tweeted about by environmental NGOs and research ethics committees