University Symposium 2010-12
Abundance & Scarcity
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Calendar of Events
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Abundance & Scarcity Blog
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Symposium Awards, 2011-12
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Interdisciplinary Faculty Seminars
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Symposium Curriculum, Spring 2011
The topic Abundance & Scarcity, initially motivated by the financial crisis that emerged in 2008, leads us to pose questions that will have deep and ongoing interest. The University Symposium framework allows us to explore issues of scarcity and abundance in a number of realms and dimensions, taking a long-term and multi-disciplinary view.
Discussion will focus on four main areas: 1) Human responses to abundance and scarcity, 2) Food and water, 3) Energy and environment, and 4) Choices and balances: What is “enough?” What does sustainability mean? A number of thematic threads will run throughout the symposium. Such threads include (but are not limited to) questions such as:
- How do cultural, political, and geographical differences have an impact on abundance and scarcity?
- How have decisions about resource allocation been conceptualized by various societies in ethical, philosophical, and moral terms?
- How do we conceptualize abundance and scarcity as global problems?
- How have artists responded/are artists responding to conditions of scarcity and abundance?
- What are the tools we use to measure abundance and scarcity?
- What does history have to teach us about the present moment?
- What are various concepts of sustainability, and how do they relate to notions of scarcity and abundance?
A planning group began convening in the fall of 2009 to refine topics, suggest speakers and events, and discuss how their own work relates to the proposed themes. Meetings for fall 2010 were held on Friday, September 17; Monday, October 11; Friday, November 19; and Monday, December 6. All meetings are 12-1:15 in 125 Nolte Center; beverages are provided (feel free to bring your lunch). If you would like to be on the IAS Abundance and Scarcity email list, please send an email to Jeff Hartman: hartm152@umn.edu. If you have questions, please contact Ann Waltner: waltn001@umn.edu.
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Symposium in 2012-13: Site and Incitement
Past Symposia
Symposium 2008-2010: "Body & Knowing"
Symposium 2006-2008: "Time"
Symposium 2005-2006: "The Politics of Populations"
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