From the Anthropocene to the Pluriverse: Planetary Sustainability in an Age of Global Climate Disruption

In the autumn semester, the HSG's public lecture programme is also organising a diverse "anniversary series". On the occasion of "125 years of HSG", the six evenings will be organised by professors from the University's six Schools. The panel discussions are intended to stimulate intergenerational dialogue on inspiring topics. The first evening is organised by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS-HSG).

According to many scientists, the geological epoch of climate equilibrium known as the Holocene – which has allowed humans to become the protagonists of natural history and develop their civilizations – is now over. Extracting and burning fossil fuels has altered the Earth's metabolism: the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has surpassed 400 parts per million, almost twice the amount that has characterized the 11,700-year long ecological niche of the Holocene. We are living in a dangerous new climate regime, which brings us back to the extreme environmental conditions that our human ancestors experienced during prehistory. The name for this current epoch is the “Anthropocene”, a time of global environmental crisis. As a solution to the dilemmas posed by the Anthropocene, together with experts in urban studies, public law, and design, we will explore the potential of a utopian narrative coming from the Global South: the “Pluriverse”, a paradigm for planetary sustainability. 

Speakers are: 

• Prof. Ph.D. Federico Luisetti, Associate Professor of Italian culture and society, School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), University of St.Gallen 
• Prof. Dr. Elisa Fornalé, SNSF Professor International Migration Law and Human Rights Climate Change and International Public Law Gender Studies, World Trade Institute, Bern
• Flurina Gradin, Research Assistant at the faculty of Italian culture and society, School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), University of St.Gallen
• Sieglinde Geisel, Journalist, literary critic, book author and writing coach, based in Berlin (Moderation) 

After the event, participants are cordially invited to an aperitif.

Registration and further events in the anniversary series on our website. Additional information in the attached flyer.