This interdisciplinary reading group will focus on Politics of Nature: How to Brings the Sciences into Democracy, a book by the French sociologist and philosopher Bruno Latour.

The book addresses the question whether ecology (certainly in terms of environmental movements) can be political, what to think of our conception of ‘nature’ and it propagates a critical stance towards the a priori ‘scientific’ distinction between fact and value. In macro-relation to contemporary society and practiced science, Latour advocates that it is high time to get rid of the distinction between nature and society, object and subject, and to move towards a relational materiality that is ‘truthful to experience and process.’

In addition to the close reading of Politics of Nature, the reading group will focus on the actor-network theory (ANT) that is partially developed by Latour. Moreover parallels with work by Michel Foucault, Michel Serres and the relation of Latour’s thinking to ecological movements will be examined.

The reading group consists of 9 sessions in SMBA in which we will discuss the texts and participants are encouraged to contribute with questions, points of interest, comments etc.

Organization: Anne van Leeuwen en Sjoerd van Leeuwen.

If interested please send an email to info@sjoerdvanleeuwen.nl. Please note that there is limited capacity of places.