NASS board meeting attended

Today I have attended this Autumn´s board meeting of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS). Topics included initial plans for the next NASS conference, to be held in 2027.

Reelected as Norway repr. and Secretary of NASS at NASS general assembly

On the eve of the 14th conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS), held in Tallinn, Estonia in conjunction with the 15th Annual Lotman Days with the theme “Creativity – Complexity – Intelligence” June 11-13th, the general assembly of NASS was held. I was reelected as Ordinary representative for Norway (which I have been since 2011), and as Secretary of NASS (which I have in this round been since 2023). Lauri Linask (Estonia) was reelected as President and Paulius Jevsejevas (Lithuania) reelected as Treasurer.

NASS General Assembly chaired; elected Secretary of NASS; Lauri Linask new NASS President

Yesterday, on Friday June 9th, I chaired the general assembly of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) in conjunction with the 13th conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) in Helsinki (June 7-9th). After three terms - six years - as President, I stepped down from this role, and was elected Secretary (I was also Secretary in 2011-2017). Lauri Linask was elected President of NASS.

General Assembly of IASS in Thessaloniki attended

Yesterday evening, I attended most of the General Assembly of the International Society for Semiotic Studies (IASS). I remain a representative for Norway, and for the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS), in the Executive Committee of IASS.

Deputy member of working committee for UHR Helse og sosial

I have been appointed as deputy member of the working committee (arbeidsutvalg) of UHR Helse og sosial (which is a national organ for health and social studies) for Spring 2022.

Opening of NASS XII; General assembly chaired; reelected President of NASS

Yesterday I took part in the opening of the 12th conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) at Vilnius University in Vilnius, Lithuania (held November 5-7th, 2021, with the theme "Meaning in perception and the senses"). In the evening, I chaired the General assembly of NASS. I was reelected as President of NASS for a third term (I have served as President since 2017), and as ordinary representative for Norway.

NASS board meeting chaired

Today I chaired the first board meeting of the new board of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies, elected at this summer´s General Assembly in Stavanger during NASS XI. the meeting took place via Skype. 

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.

Not nominated for department council

I tried to nominate myself as candidate for the department council of Department of social studies, but, curiously, it appears that the nomination form I send was blank. And so I will not be in the department council.

Annual meeting of Minding Animals Norway held

On November 20th, the annual meeting of Minding Animals Norway was held at Domus Nova in Oslo. The meeting approved report of activities for the last year and plans for the next, plus budget. Financial report for the last year was presented, but not treated conclusively due to a mismatch between sums for assets last year on one hand and surplus plus assets by the time of the meeting on the other. Also, despite having 5 candidates for board posisions, election to the board was postponed. This means there will have to be an extraordinary general meeting, once again.

Juha Ojala joins NASS board

Juha Ojala, professor of music education, has joined the board of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies as Supplementary Representative for Finland - see full board at our webpage.

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.

Semiotic confederations meeting in Kaunas

On June 29th, I attended a semi-formal meeting in Kaunas, Lithuania, for representatives of various international semiotics confederations, representing the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS). The meeting was convened by IASS President Paul Cobley, and attended by a dozen people or so.

NASS: Possibly running for president; UiS candidate venue for NASS XI

I have just signalled interest, to the board, in being nominated as President of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) ahead of its General Assembly in late June in Kaunas during NASS X, and launched the University of Stavanger as a possible venue for NASS XI in 2019.

Reelected as chair of MAN; new board

On an extraordinary general meeting February 1st via Skype, I was reelected as chair of Minding Animals Norway, and a new board was elected.

Minding Animals Norway: General meeting held, no board elected

Today Minding Animals Norway held its annual General Meeting. Six people were present, five of whom current board members. No financial report or budget was prepared for the meeting. An annual report and an action plan was decided on, however. Election of board members was discussed for an hour or two before it was decided that an extraordinary General Meeting will be held on February 1st to elect a new board. This was because two people wants to quit the board and two more were ambivalent with regard to continuing.

Stepping down as 2nd deputy member of board of UiS

Since the Autumn of 2013, I have been 2nd deputy member of the board of the University of Stavanger (and Autumn 2012 to Spring 2013 I was permanent member of the board) representing temporarily employed education and research staff. Since I am starting August 1st 2016 permanently employed at University Stavanger, I will step down as 2nd deputy member of the University of Stavanger.

COST involvement (GroupHouseNet) - WG5; Stakeholder and End-User Forum

Early in March, at the first Management Committee meeting of COST action CA 15134, "Synergy for preventing damaging behaviour in group housed pigs and chickens" (GroupHouseNet) (see previous posts), it was (according to the minutes) formalized that I am a member of the action´s Work Group 5 "Dissemination and exploitation", and of the "Stakeholder and End-User Forum".

Appointed substitute member of Management Committee of COST-action "GroupHouseNet"

I have this week been appointed as substitute member for Norway in the Management Committee of COST* Action CA 15134, "Synergy for preventing damaging behaviour in group housed pigs and chickens (GroupHouseNet). The appointment was made by Research Council of Norway´s COST-action coordinator.

* European Cooperation in Science and Technology

Here is the COST Action´s homepage. So far 19 countries has joined the Action, after accepting the Memorandum of Understanding. I am listed as a substitute member of the Management Committee here, along with all the others.

UiS news story on election results

Here is a University of Stavanger news story from November 30th about the election results, "Nye interne styremedlemmer ved UiS". As reported in the post below, 11 votes got me a 2nd deputy position only representing temporarily employed education and research staff. The news story provides info on who were elected in each category of employment, and how many votes each candidate got.

See also:

Another election for the UiS board lost