Abstract for zoosemiotics conference in progress

I have come up with a title for my abstract submission to the conference Zoosemiotics and Animal Representations (Tartu, April 4-8, 2011): 'The Umwelt trajectories of wolves, sheep and people'. This paper will sum up my work on the (in part interactive) life worlds of these creatures, and introduce some new concepts in the process ('Umwelt trajectory' being one).

Most quoted biosemiotic works

The list below is compiled from data of Google Scholar. It includes all works of biosemiotic character of the authors listed cited 50 times and more in their system.

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BIOSEMIOTIC WORKS

1. Jesper HOFFMEYER: Signs of meaning in the universe (1996): 336

2. Thomas SEBEOK: Animal communication: A communication network model for languages is applied to signalling behavior in animals (1965): 158

3. Jesper HOFFMEYER and Claus EMMECHE: Code-duality and the semiotics of nature (1991): 152

4. Marcello BARBIERI: The organic codes - an introduction to semantic biology (2003): 137

5. Claus EMMECHE and Jesper HOFFMEYER. From language to nature: The semiotic metaphor in biology (1991): 95

6. Marcello BARBIERI: The organic codes (1998): 88

7. Jesper HOFFMEYER: Biosemiotics: Towards a new synthesis in biology (1997): 87

8. Kalevi KULL: Biosemiotics in the twentieth century - a view from biology (1999): 67

9. Various: A semiotic perspective on the sciences: Steps toward a new paradigm (1984) 59
10. Kalevi KULL: Semiotic ecology: Different natures in the semiosphere: 57
11. Thomas SEBEOK: Coding in the evolution of signalling behavior (1962): 54

11. Claus EMMECHE: Defining life as a semiotic phenomenon (1998): 54

13. Thomas Sebeok and DJ UMIKER-SEBEOK (eds.): Biosemiotics: The semiotic web 1991 (1992): 53

RELATED WORKS
1. Claus EMMECHE: The garden in the machine - the emerging science of artificial life: 166+53
2. Claus EMMECHE, S. KØPPE and Frederik STJERNFELT: Explaining emergence - towards an ontology of levels (1997): 144
3. Thomas SEBEOK: How animals communicate (1977): 140
4. Claus EMMECHE, Frederik STJERNFELT et al.: Levels, emergence, and three three versions of downward causation (2000): 105
5. NA BAAS and Claus EMMECHE: On emergence and explanation (1997): 98
6. Thomas A. SEBEOK: The Clever Hans phenomenon: Communication with horses, whales, apes, and people (1981): 93
7. TA SEBEOK and M DANESI: The forms of meaning - Modeling systems theory and semiotic analisis (2000): 85
8. Thomas SEBEOK: Global semiotics (2001): 78
9. PB ANDEREN, Claus EMMECHE and NO Finnemann: Downwards causation: Minds, bodies and matter (2000): 77
10. Thomas SEBEOK and DJ Umiker-SEBEOK: Speaking of apes: A critical anthology of two-way communication with man (1980): 65

In comparison, Umberto Eco's "A theory of semiotics" is cited 2.566 times.

The Global Species published

Yesterday I received my copy of new formations no. 69, where my article "The Global Species" appears (pp98-110). Guest editor of the Special Issue 'Imperial Ecologies', Ashley Dawson, summarizes my article in his "Introduction: New Enclosures" (freely available online). Excerpts (p20):

Morten Tønnessen’s essay focuses on a substance even more ubiquitous than oil, one that has perhaps also been more essential to the reproduction of our species: non-human animals. Approaching analysis of human-affiliated life forms from the perspective of the long durée and developing the concept of ecosemiotics, Tønnessen argues that the historical process of globalisation can perhaps be best understood through analysis of the planet’s colonisation not simply by human beings but also by the accompanying proliferation of species we favour. Alongside this process of planetary diffusion, human beings have introduced a schism in nature, Tønnessen suggests, one that divides biological life into favoured and non-favoured species. Life and death have been apportioned around the planet for centuries according to this anthropocentric matrix of biological utility. The result is a global colonial organism or ecological empire, with human beings at the apex of a massive pyramid of fauna and flora that we privilege because of their utility to our species’ expanded reproduction. While acknowledging the primary role played by Europe and the United States in diffusing a particularly unsustainable model of development around the world over the last five hundred years, Tønnessen explores the provocative question of whether there may be something ecologically imperialistic in our behaviour as a species over a much longer time span than that of Euro-American-dominated modernity. Drawing unnerving conclusions from this historical retrospect, Tønnessen argues that the serried ecological crises we currently confront are linked inextricably to the forms of biopower we exercise not simply over human populations but over the mammoth global pyramid of flesh and grain upon which we depend.

Other contributors: Crystal Bartolovich, George Caffentzis, Ashley Dawson, Ben Dibbley, Jeremy Gilbert, Peter Hitchcock, Leerom Medovoi, Brett Neilsen, Rob Nixon, Sian Sullivan, Nicholas Thoburn, Tony Venezia.

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"The Global Species" is also available for purchase in PDF format:

IncentaConnect $26,80 + tax

DocStoc $7.95

Arne Næss memorial piece

My brief text "An ageing giant", published in the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of International Society for Environmental Ethics Newsletter (p13), can now be accessed freely only also by non-members. The entire issue is to be found here.

Zoosemiotics conference: Updated CFP

The organizing team of the international conference 'Zoosemiotics and Animal Representations', to be arranged in Tartu April 4-8, 2011 - cf. initial announcement and launch of webpage - has issued an updated CFP. The deadline for abstract submission is September 15th. To submit a proposal, interested scholars should e-mail an abstract (300-600 words) and a bio-note (less than 100 words) to the address zoosemiotics@semiootika.ee. The abstract and bio-note should be sent together in one file (.doc or .rtf) attached to the e-mail.

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The news fall in two categories - plenary speakers and publication venues. We are glad to announce the plenary speakers of the conference [already mentioned in Utopian Realism]: Colin Allen (Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at Indiana University, USA), Jesper Hoffmeyer (Professor emeritus, Biological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark), Graham Huggan (Professor of Commonwealth and Postcolonial Literatures at University of Leeds, UK) and David Rothenberg (Professor of Philosophy and Music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA).
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There are two publications planned for the articles based on conference presentations: a volume in Rodopi´s Nature, Culture and Literature series and a special issue on zoosemiotics in journal Semiotica. The Rodopi volume will be edited by me and Kadri Tüür, the Semiotica issue by Timo Maran.

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For up-to-date information, see the conference webpage.

Chronicle on Southern wolf

This Saturday (August 14th) a chronicle of mine, "Ulven på Sørlandet" (The Southern wolf) was printed in the regional newspaper Fædrelandsvennen.

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Cf. also my Norwegian language blog, Utopisk Realisme.

Academic news in brief X

1. The Sydney workshop 'History and philosophy of ethology', to be arranged at Macquarie University, has been rescheduled to February 19-21st, 2010 (cf. previous post). I have started pondering what more I can get done while in Australia.

2. The editorial work with the Special Issue of Hortus Semioticus 'Semiotics of Nature' is about to be concluded - the issue is now entering production.

3. I have started writing my thesis (though that threshold qua point in time could be defined in various ways).

4. The last week I have started planning the remaining field work and research stays of my case study on Norwegian wolf management. First out is a trip to Langedrag mountain farm and wildlife park (captive wolves) and Rendalen, Hedmark (sheep farms).

5. My debate article 'Forskningens formål' (The purpose of science) was printed in the Norwegian national daily Aftenposten August 6th. Norwegian text here.

6. The same day I sent a chronicle entitled 'Ulven på Sørlandet' (The wolf in the South) to the regional newspaper Fædrelandsvennen. This is my first comment to the wandering wolf that has been visiting our region (where there have not been wolves since the mid-80ies, as far as I can remember) the last few weeks, and the calls for its death.

7. Tomorrow I am heading for Bergen, where the 60th International Congress of Phenomenology is taking place the next few days (cf. previous posts).

8. I have arranged tickets for my next visit to Estonia, which will take place September 5th-9th (5-8 in Tartu, 8-9 in Tallinn).

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Last 'Academic news in brief': No. IX.