Meeting in Arne i 100

May 3rd I attended my first meeting in the committee Arne i 100, in Oslo, preparing for the 100th anniversary of deep ecologist Arne Næss. I presented some organizational ideas concerning the "Arne Næss year" 2012, but it is far from certain that they will be carried out (that might require additional manpower). At any rate I will take part in preparing the anniversary event in the university aula, which is scheduled for January 27th, 2012.

Since the meeting I have, for one thing, gotten Lars Verket to accept an invitation to play a role during the anniversary event.

Change in time schedule for PhD

I originally planned to deliver my dissertation and apply for doctoral degree Monday May 24th. Early in May, however, I decided to take a few more months writing. I now intend to deliver my dissertation and application at the very beginning of the autumn semester, in the beginning of September. It might be possible to defend my thesis already in November. Despite the change of plans I appear to be the only PhD student in my cohort who will finish in this calender year, on time. As it happens, spending the summer as well writing will allow me to take the final outcome of the ongoing Norwegian policy review in carnivore management into account (though it will not allow me to take a long-awaited summer holiday).

Meanwhile, Jesper Hoffmeyer has tentatively agreed to do pre-review along with Paul Cobley.

CFP: Non-human in anthropology II (Prague)

The second conference under the label "Non-human in anthropology" (this time with the theme "Limits and boundaries of social science") is scheduled for November 19-20 this autumn. Abstracts are due September 10th.

Contact info: nonhuman@email.cz

New exam in Philosophy in antiquity

Yesterday there was a second, "delayed" exam in the course Philosophy in antiquity, for which I was the autumn last autumn at University of Agder. Three students, as far as I know. I am not involved as an examiner in this round.

Chronicle reprinted

My chronicle "Landet som grodde igjen", originally published in the Norwegian national daily Dagbladet, was reprinted in "Bonde og Småbruker" no. 2, 2011 (98th årgang), on the back page (p. 24). Official date of publication: February 25th, 2011.

MAO update

The preparation for the Oslo Minding Animals pre-conference event, scheduled for October 14-15, is progressing. We have invited Marc Bekoff on condition of funding and he has tentatively said yes. The next immediate task is to apply for funding from two different sources, in May and June.

Change in plan for Tartu visit

I am about to head off to Tartu, for yet another visit (first of all to teach the second half of my intensive course Semiotics and phenomenology). Originally I planned to stay May 15-24, but I will only stay 15-20.