Dear Susi Dear all, I feel I could sign up to each and every word Susi kindly offered to us in this wonderful space. They are words that I find clearly spoken and felt. They echo, many of them painfully, with my un-ease with academia's 'rituals' (I borrow this one from Susi below), in which I include the myth of individual objective scientist, the need for an almost unlimited ego - just to get by, the myth that we can actually know anything much anymore about any topic (scientific data output increases at an annual rate of 30%...in 2014), let alone discipline, or interdisciplinary problematic.
In my journey, I have found it necessary to start asking 'what is the future of university/higher education'. It is a topic that leads to ask similar questions to those offered by Susi: who are we, who do we want (and hope) to be. It also asks what knowledge, for what purpose, in what spaces (hence the link to our debate here on the ritual of conference-going). My favourite is always the same: 'what really matters?', which I take from E.F. Schumacher. The divide between my knowledge of the likely chasm ahead (and already here in places) and my capacity to stand up with the necessary dignity and be the person I know I need to be, becomes increasingly difficult to negotiate.Sorry for adding questions rather than answers. I guess I wanted to thank you all for the space that gep-ed "is" Olivia *Olivia Bina* *Principal Researcher ICS-ULisboa* Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa Avenida Prof. Aníbal Bettencourt, Nº 9 1600-189 LISBOA - PORTUGAL T: (351) 21 7804758 F: (351) 217940274 E: b...@ics.ulisboa.pt *Skype*: oliviabina *Web page*: http://lisboa.academia.edu/OliviaBina/About On Wed, 10 Jul 2019 at 16:13, Susanne Moser <promu...@susannemoser.com> wrote: > Hi all - > > > Something irks me about this debate, which, as we've witnessed here (and > elsewhere), gets heated, not nice at all. And that is where I think we need > to begin looking: obviously some very sensitive points get hit, something > where we have a lot of ego investment and any shift away from the status > quo starts to feel super threatening to who we are - as individuals, as > professionals, as academics. It's not your plain old behavior change > question, is it? There is something far bigger at stake here. Why else is > this such an unsolvable, painful topic being discussed apparently all over > the world. > > > From my own experience - having struggled, even outright suffered - with > the cognitive dissonance between what I say and what I do for years - I can > share that this is existential for me: if I don't meet my clients, if I > don't stay visible, I will vanish from the professional fields in which I > work, and not having an institutional salary, that means, I don't know how > to earn my keep. I don't have parents to move back in with (nor would I > want to), I don't have someone take care of me financially, so, it's me > earning my keep or I live under the bridge - and yes, some of you heard me > joking about my impending email switch to "s...@underthebridge.org" > <s...@underthebridge.org> > > > So, who are we, if we don't stand on stage at professional conferences? > Who are we if we're not seen in an ever growing sea of papers that no one > can keep up with reading? Where is our promotion if we don't show that we > have gained academic standing by being keynote speakers or presenters or > panel chairs at scientific conferences? Gosh, we science-types - in this > world of science being questioned (i.e. a constant barrage against what we > do and who we are! - have such small square footage to stand on. With > students - if you have some - sure, but it's not nearly as much respected > by our superiors (and even peers) as standing in front of a large audience, > is it? > > > This is what makes me think, maybe this conversation needs to switch to > our standing as a profession, to our ego strength (or lack thereof) as > individuals in that profession, and to the systemic ways in which we > continue to being pushed to participate in these mass conference rituals. > I, for one, find most of them actually NOT very interesting, mostly because > most people put not very much thought into their papers (we're supposed to > be the intellectual creme de la creme, and yet have so little time to > really THINK), and so they are just not intellectually stimulating or > nourishing. I hear you say that nourishment and stimulation happens in side > conversations, in hall ways and bars. That makes it ever so clear that the > conference itself is not giving us what we need or want. I myself go > because I want to be seen as being "in" and "in the know" and because most > of my friends (most of them also my colleagues) go, and so I get to have a > social life while taking care of something I must do for another important > reason. Between my two emotional needs (existential economically, and > existential socio-psychologically), I'm hard pressed to give up conferences > entirely. > > > Now, having said that, I have much reduced my conference visits and air > travel, and I do much more of my work virtually now, but I have not drawn > the only conclusion one should reasonably draw if one were to choose > consistency between knowing the long-term impact of emissions and the > sources of those emissions. > > > We could throw in every other deeply personal, identity-related behavior > and our conflicted and contradictory behaviors. I don't have children - the > most CO2-emission reducing act of my life - others do, and it's equally > untouchable; eating meat, the size of one's house, etc etc. - just take a > look at those debates. They are equally ugly because they all ask us to - > ultimately - question who we are and want to be. We have to look at our > deeper motivations and the systemic pressures to maintain this behavior if > we want to get somewhere. And once we have clarified what those are, maybe > the attachment to conferences lessens, and maybe we can get creative in > finding way better solutions that answer our needs. > > > In a word, we must be asking deeper, more difficult questions. Possibly > stimulating and nourishing to some of us... > > > Susi > > > > On 7/9/2019 3:02 AM, HARRIS, Paul [SSC] wrote: > > *From:* gep-ed@googlegroups.com <gep-ed@googlegroups.com> > <gep-ed@googlegroups.com> *On Behalf Of * HARRIS, Paul [SSC] > > *Sent:* Monday, July 8, 2019 7:23 PM > *To:* gep-ed@googlegroups.com; as...@u.washington.edu > *Subject:* Re: [gep-ed] fyi > > > > Dear Aseem, > > > > About a decade ago I tried hard to convince scholars, including many on > this list, that we needed to stop encouraging air travel to conferences. > Even then technologies existed to allow collaboration online that was > vastly more connective than face-to-face collaboration at conferences. I > suffered a severe backlash, including ad hominem attacks (a few from > members of the ISA's ESS section). The business model of many academic > associations, not least ISA, demands big centralized conferences. Things > are slowly starting to change, as you highlight in your message, but my > guess is that most older scholars (over, say, about 40?) will continue to > dig in their heels and defend their air travel (everyone who flies seems to > think that their doing so is worth the environmental cost). History won't > judge this behavior kindly. The future is in the younger scholars who are > accustomed to collaborating online -- after all, nowadays many people > collaborate using their smart phones even when those people are on the same > campus, even in the same building, and sometimes even in the same room. > > > > All best, > > > > Paul > > > > *PAUL G. HARRIS* > > Chair Professor > > Global and Environmental Studies > > EdUHK <https://www.eduhk.hk/ssc/pharris> > > *www.paulgharris.net <http://www.paulgharris.net>* > > > > LATEST BOOKS > > *+Climate Change and Ocean Governance* (Cambridge University Press), here > <https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/climate-change-and-ocean-governance/DEFCBADE5A6BEE13EED457B8C54F108D>. > > > *+Global Ethics and Climate Change*, 2nd. ed. (Edinburgh University > Press), here > <https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-global-ethics-and-climate-change.html>. > > > +*Ethics, Environmental Justice and Climate Change* (Edward Elgar), here > <https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/ethics-environmental-justice-and-climate-change>. > > > +*Routledge Handbook of Global Environmental Politics* (updated paperback > edition), here > <https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-of-Global-Environmental-Politics/Harris/p/book/9780415694209>. > > > +*More books* here <https://paulgharris.net/books/>. > > > > LATEST JOURNAL ARTICLES > > +“Emerging Responses to Global Climate Change: Ecosystem-based > Adaptation,” *Global Change, Peace and Security*, here > <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14781158.2018.1475349>. > > +“Cascading Biases Against Poorer Countries,” *Nature Climate Change*, > here <https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0152-7>. > > +“Compliance with Climate Change Agreements: The Constraints of > Consumption,” *International Environmental Agreements*, here > <https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/s10784-017-9365-x?author_access_token=6s3vYy6-vHVydK0LnmiTyfe4RwlQNchNByi7wbcMAY5EiV3cL-LE2uukQzOc9UKK5mMJDGn4cRkEvWCuqlh4hd41bv-hCLmFDLp4byVTsOHIIQBRsO2A5JWP4lCMn_rJtYB1TdKWiDdbmR2TP9EYtQ%3D%3D>. > > > +“Political Science and Severe Climate Change: A Case for Transformational > Research into Adaptation,” *St. Antony's International Review*, here > <https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/stair/stair/2017/00000013/00000001/art00008>. > > > +*More* *articles* here <https://paulgharris.net/articles/>. > > > > ©2019 This e-mail, its contents and attachments are confidential and > subject to copyright protections. All rights reserved. > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* gep-ed@googlegroups.com <gep-ed@googlegroups.com> on behalf of > Aseem Prakash <as...@uw.edu> > *Sent:* Tuesday, July 9, 2019 1:18 AM > *To:* gep-ed@googlegroups.com; stacy.vandev...@umb.edu > *Subject:* Re: [gep-ed] fyi > > > > Hi Stacey: > > > > Agree; we need to speak up. Universities must be leaders in climate policy > and as scholars who study climate change, we should become role models. > > > > I think GEP should take the lead in greening the ISA ('i'll be happy to > share my correspondence with various organizations on this count). > > > > Some of us may have heard of the FlyLess initiative (there is a[etition to > universities on change.org -- pls consider signing it). > > > > I received an email from them with the following information > > > > ( > https://click.e.change.org/f/a/m6MI0hVmC7eo6yzuiw1pzQ~~/AANj1QA~/RgRfA48uP0ROaHR0cHM6Ly9hY2FkZW1pY2ZseWluZ2Jsb2cud29yZHByZXNzLmNvbS8yMDE5LzA2LzE4L3VwZGF0ZXMtb24tdmFyaW91cy1mcm9udHMvVwNzcGNCCgAeLgohXYF0JzFSF3ByYWthc2guYXNlZW1AZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAC > ): > > > > > > > *Exciting Initiatives in Academia and Beyond* > > > > [image: Image removed by sender.] > <https://academicflyingblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/unine.jpg>The > Université de Neuchâtel in Switzerland is encouraging its academic > personnel to decrease its flying > <http://www.unine.ch/durable/deplacements-avion> and has devised a chart > <http://www.unine.ch/files/live/sites/durable/files/CO2/UNINE_Arbre_decision.pdf> > to > help them do so. In response to the efforts of the three PhD students at > the French-speaking university, the institution is asking researchers, > faculty, and graduate students to commit themselves to reduced flying > <http://www.unine.ch/files/live/sites/durable/files/CO2/Engagements%2003%20juin%2007h00.pdf>—renouncing, > for example, all flights within Switzerland and taking ground > transportation to all destinations within 450 kilometers of Neuchâtel—by > publicly signing a document > <https://neuchatel.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_efUvxoF0glSUHS5>. As of > May 29, 166 individuals had signed. > > > > [image: Image removed by sender.] > <https://academicflyingblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/european-citizens-initiative.png>Students > in Europe have launched a European Citizens’ Initiative > <https://www.endingaviationfueltaxexemption.eu/> to get the European > Union to end the privileged status of air travel by imposing a tax on > aviation kerosene or fuel. The hope is that, by making flying more > expensive, the tax will lead to a reduction in air travel and spur greater > investment in sustainable modes of transportation. The initiators of the > petition ask that *FlyingLess* supporters from EU member-states consider > signing. You can do so here > <https://eci.ec.europa.eu/008/public/#/initiative>. > > [image: Image removed by sender.] > <https://academicflyingblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/aag.png>In April, > the Council of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) received a > petition signed by 234 AAG members > <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vJk8ICBwB4HO2wz1b_wk1YEXQnv5kZBVeTuS37Nr9Zo/edit>. > The document called upon the AAG Council to take far-reaching action to > reduce CO2 emissions related to the Annual Meeting—one which sees about > 9,000 attendees from the United States and abroad, the vast majority of > them flying to and from the host city and producing thousands of tons of > CO2 emissions > <https://www.academia.edu/8422269/_Academic_Jet-setting_in_a_Time_of_Climate_Destabilization_Ecological_Privilege_and_Professional_Geographic_Travel_The_Professional_Geographer_Vol._66_No._2_2014_298-310> > in > the process. Responding favorably to the petition, the Council is now in > the process of setting up a task force charged with redesigning the AAG > meetings and reducing their associated emissions at a depth and scale > suggested by climate science and bodies such as the International Panel on > Climate Change. Given the size and influence of the AAG, this development > could have impacts well beyond the organization. > > > > [image: Image removed by sender.] > <https://academicflyingblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/concordialogo.gif>On > May 31, 2019, the Department of Geography, Planning & Environment > <https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/geography-planning-environment.html> at > Concordia University in Montreal adopted a “Flying Less Policy > <https://www.concordia.ca/content/dam/artsci/geography-planning-environment/docs/Flying_Less_Policy_GPE_June1_2019.pdf>” > that grew out of the work of its Climate Emergency Committee > <https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/geography-planning-environment/climate-emergency.html>. > The policy requires, among other things, that all faculty members in the > department disclose their annual flying activity (the results of which have > already been made public, collectively and anonymously, for 2018-2019 > <https://www.concordia.ca/artsci/geography-planning-environment/climate-emergency.html>). > The policy also commits faculty to prioritizing travel-free meetings and > video conferencing over physical travel and, when travel is needed, > collective forms of ground transportation for destinations within 12 hours > of Montreal. Moreover, it commits the Department to promoting a Flying Less > policy at the University as a whole, and within Quebec and Canada as well > (by encouraging external funders, for example, to work to decrease flying). > In addition, the new policy requires that the Department encourage students > to participate in activities that do not involve flying and provide > financial support to make such participation possible. > > > > [image: Image removed by sender.] > <https://academicflyingblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/stay-grounded-1.png>Concrete > initiatives and strategies to reduce air travel will be the focus of a > flight-free conference in Barcelona from July 12-14. Organized by the Stay > Grounded <https://stay-grounded.org/> network—in conjunction with various > civil society groups and the Institute for Ecological Sciences and > Technology (ICTA) in Barcelona—the “Degrowth in Aviation > <https://stay-grounded.org/conference/>” conference will bring together > social movements, non-governmental organizations, and scientists. To > register, go here <https://annek517312.typeform.com/to/A5jlKC>. > *In the Media* > > > > Efforts to reduce flying within the academy and far beyond are receiving > heightened attention in the media. A May 22 article in *The Guardian* (“Could > you give up flying? Meet the no-plane pioneers > <https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/may/22/could-you-give-up-flying-meet-the-no-plane-pioneers?CMP=share_btn_tw>”), > for instance, mentioned *FlyingLess* and linked to our website, leading > to a huge spike in visits. Meanwhile, TRT World, an international news > channel, recently broadcast a roundtable discussion addressing the > question, “Can we stop flying?” > <https://academicflyingblog.wordpress.com/www.trtworld.com/video/roundtable/no-flight-movement-can-we-stop-flying/5cfe6a82b9fa6764a9a53ccf> > Among the four participants was Milena Büchs > <https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/see/staff/1183/dr-milena-buchs>, as > Associate Professor in Sustainability, Economics and Low-Carbon Transitions > at the University of Southampton (and a *Flyingless* petition signatory > <https://docs.google.com/document/d/14NZh0bZW2jB0qXjt-pl5A2_JfHtErQhxq06ZFd61sN8/edit> > ). > > The coverage manifests the growing movement in Europe critical of flying > and its impact. As *POLITICO Europe reports > <https://www.politico.eu/article/the-popular-revolt-against-flying-climate-european-airlines-carbon-emissions/>*, > “If it were a country, aviation would be the sixth-largest carbon polluter > in the world, eclipsing Germany.” The same article, whose title refers to a > “popular revolt against flying,” asserts that “campaigns to reduce air > travel emissions are gaining traction” in Europe. > > > > This is especially evident in Sweden (see “#stayontheground: Swedes turn > to trains amid climate ‘flight shame’ > <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/04/stayontheground-swedes-turn-to-trains-amid-climate-flight-shame?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other>”), > where the number of domestic air passengers has dropped eight percent (8%) > in recent months, after a three percent (3%) decrease the previous year, > while train travel has increased by similar figures. In response, the > Swedish government has stated that it would like to reintroduce overnight > trains > <https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/sweden-has-invented-a-word-to-encourage-people-not-to-fly-and-it-s-working/> > to > cities throughout Europe. (Elsewhere on the continent, there are other > favorable signs of the resurrection of night trains > <https://academicflyingblog.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1088&action=edit> > .) > > > > In France, the national government is considering a proposed ban on > flights within the country > <https://atwonline.com/eco-aviation/french-politicians-want-ban-internal-flights-cut-emissions> > on > routes traveled by train in less than five hours. Regardless of what the > government decides, it will push for an aviation fuel tax at the next > meeting of the European Commission, according to France’s Environment > Minister Francois Rugy > <https://pointmetotheplane.boardingarea.com/environment-flying-impact/>. > > > > Such developments have not gone unnoticed within the aviation industry. At > the meeting in Seoul, South Korea of the International Air Transport > Association in early June, airline executives expressed worry that > anti-flying sentiment will “grow and spread” if they don’t win what one > executive termed the “communications battle.” (See “‘Flight shame’: How > climate guilt is the newest threat to airlines > <https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/flight-shame-how-climate-guilt-is-the-newest-threat-to-airlines-20190606-p51v3w.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1559960946> > .”) > *Recent academic articles* > > An article by researchers in the Department of Geography the University of > British Columbia, one based on a sample of 705 academics at their home > institution, found no relationship between the amount of professional air > travel and academic productivity. They also found, using a smaller sample > size, no significant difference in total air travel emissions between > researchers they characterized as “Green” (those who study topics related > to environmental sustainability) and “Not-green.” (See Seth Wynes, Simon > D. Donner, Steuart Tannason, Noni Nabors, “Academic air travel has a > limited influence on professional success,” *Journal of Cleaner > Production*, Vol. 226, No. 20, 2019: 959-967 > <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652619311862#!>.) > > > > Another just-published article by a team of researchers at the University > of Adelaide studied academic air travel—also among academics at their home > institution. The authors were particularly interested between institutional > pressures for academics to fly and their university’s formal commitment to > sustainability. Drawing on a one-year qualitative study, they found that, > while many academics are worried about climate change, only a small number > are willing to fly less for fear of damaging their careers. The authors > conclude that institutional and political shifts are needed to bring about > individual changes in behavior on a large scale. (See Melissa Nursey-Bray, > Robert Palmer, Bride Meyer-Mclean, Thomas Wanner, & Cris Birzer, “The Fear > of Not Flying: Achieving Sustainable Academic Plane Travel in Higher > Education Based on Insights from South Australia,” *Sustainability,* Vol. > 11, No. 9, 2019: 2694 <https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/9/2694>.) > > > > > > ________________________________________________ > > Aseem Prakash > Professor, Department of Political Science > Walker Family Professor for the College of Arts and Sciences > Founding Director, UW Center for Environmental Politics > University of Washington, Seattle > https://faculty.washington.edu/aseem/ > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* gep-ed@googlegroups.com <gep-ed@googlegroups.com> on behalf of > Stacy VanDeveer <stacy.vandev...@umb.edu> > *Sent:* Monday, July 8, 2019 10:09 AM > *To:* Aseem Prakash; gep-ed@googlegroups.com > *Subject:* Re: [gep-ed] fyi > > > > It looks like AAUP and NEA – large unions to which some of us belong – > remain silent about the GND idea. Might be time to do some speaking up. > > -sv > > -- > > Stacy D. VanDeveer > > Professor & Graduate Program Director > > Global Governance and Human Security > > McCormack Graduate School of Policy & Global Studies > > www.global.umb.edu > > > > *From: *Gep-Ed <gep-ed@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Aseem Prakash < > as...@uw.edu> > *Reply-To: *Aseem Prakash <as...@u.washington.edu> > *Date: *Monday, July 8, 2019 at 12:56 PM > *To: *Gep-Ed <gep-ed@googlegroups.com> > *Subject: *[gep-ed] fyi > > > > > > > > This commentary might interest some GEP members: > > > > Labor Unions And the Green New Deal: Love, Hate, Or Indifference? > <https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com%2Fsites%2Fprakashdolsak%2F2019%2F07%2F06%2Flabor-unions-and-the-green-new-deal-love-hate-or-indifference%2F%23357a86c26b83&data=02%7C01%7Cstacy.vandeveer%40umb.edu%7C2599190248c34f555ef108d703c54390%7Cb97188711ee94425953c1ace1373eb38%7C0%7C0%7C636982018098582292&sdata=Dj3uukmygNWei8AqjT8RQHxHGEuHkyHvJYXrNTNcfeY%3D&reserved=0> > > > > thanks, > > > > Aseem > > > > ________________________________________________ > > Aseem Prakash > Professor, Department of Political Science > Walker Family Professor for the College of Arts and Sciences > Founding Director, UW Center for Environmental Politics > University of Washington, Seattle > https://faculty.washington.edu/aseem/ > <https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.washington.edu%2Faseem%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cstacy.vandeveer%40umb.edu%7C2599190248c34f555ef108d703c54390%7Cb97188711ee94425953c1ace1373eb38%7C0%7C0%7C636982018098592288&sdata=hSfGIuBHPUtz7yi%2Fu1dAJvx%2BingyEftG8WvsyHlmiMs%3D&reserved=0> > > > > [image: EdUHK_logo] -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "gep-ed" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to gep-ed+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gep-ed/HK0PR06MB3201ED88A4CC405F6A22C6FFC3F10%40HK0PR06MB3201.apcprd06.prod.outlook.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gep-ed/HK0PR06MB3201ED88A4CC405F6A22C6FFC3F10%40HK0PR06MB3201.apcprd06.prod.outlook.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- > Susanne C. Moser, Ph.D. > Director, Susanne Moser Research & Consulting > Web: www.susannemoser.com > Email: promu...@susannemoser.com > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > If there is one thing you watch, watch this: > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A&feature=youtu.be > > -- > Susanne C. Moser, Ph.D. > Director, Susanne Moser Research & Consulting > Web: www.susannemoser.com > Email: promu...@susannemoser.com > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > If there is one thing you watch, watch this: > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A&feature=youtu.be > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "gep-ed" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to gep-ed+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gep-ed/ed13bc6d-faab-dde8-c24c-b43c38566448%40susannemoser.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gep-ed/ed13bc6d-faab-dde8-c24c-b43c38566448%40susannemoser.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gep-ed" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to gep-ed+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gep-ed/CAE6D5CvzCt-35O0THa7rpJa4WAF7AP9Eh4eEtf4ZGughROu1Zg%40mail.gmail.com.
