Geoanthropology: Metabolism, Legal Imagination, and Geopraxis

Theme

Geoanthropology aims to integrate concepts from Earth system science and the Anthropocene debate, such as planetary boundaries, synchronic geological markers, and earth states, with the theory and history of phenomena such as extractivism and technology, biopolitics and exploitation, and modernity and legal thought. This interdisciplinary conference aims to explore the utility of three concepts for the geoanthropological framework: metabolism, legal imagination, and geopraxis.

Dates

Submission deadline: March 1
Notification: by April 1
Conference: 9–11 June

Topics & Questions

Metabolism: What is the genealogy of the metabolism concepts and its cognates, such as Stoffwechsel, metamorphosis, and transformation, across different fields (e.g. biology, ecology, industry, cybernetics)? How can we understand the metabolism between the technosphere and the biosphere? What alternative metabolisms can be developed to maintain the Earth within habitable boundaries?

Legal Imagination: What kind of legal imagination is needed in the age of catastrophes? How can we develop the concept of climate as a legal good to be protected? How should we rethink collectives shaped by the damage they endure? How can legal techniques address “geo” problems without becoming a simple restatement of natural law theories, which claim that norms derive from “nature”?

Geopraxis: How can we articulate a political praxis for a planet under pressure, and what is the role of science in this process? What agencies inhabit the Earth, and to which political ends do they strive? What is the relationship between the extraction–production–circulation cycle and the knowledge economy? Is it possible to reconcile historically situated societies with the conception of humanity as a subject?

Application

Scholars from all disciplines are invited to submit a short position paper (approximately two pages) on their chosen topic, including but not limited to:

• The historical development and interdisciplinary relevance of the metabolism concept and its cognates (Stoffwechsel, etc.).
• Innovative approaches to framing climate as a legal good and reconsidering collective responsibilities in the Anthropocene.
• The significance of geopraxis in addressing planetary challenges and translating them into actionable politics.

Applications should be sent to [email protected] before 1 March 2025. In addition to the short position paper, please include a brief biography with institutional affiliation. Application decisions will be communicated by April 1.