(Un)Common Worlds III - Navigating and Inhabiting Biodiverse Anthropocenes human-animal studies conference

An international human-animal studies conference (Un)Common Worlds III - Navigating and Inhabiting Biodiverse Anthropocenes takes place at the University of Oulu 4.-6.10. The main organizers of the conference are the Finnish Society for Human-Animal Studies (YKES) and the research program Biodiverse Anthropocenes at the University of Oulu. The main speakers of the conference are professor of archaeology Naomi Sykes (Exeter University), professor of contemporary art Angela Bartram (University of Derby) and professor of visual arts Jaana Erkkilä-Hill (University of the Arts Helsinki).

The conference is organized in hybrid form and it brings together ca 150 researchers and artists from all over the world to discuss human caused environmental crises in the era of the Anthropocene. According to the theme of the conference, the main focus of the presentations lies in biodiversity loss and extinction. In addition to these themes, the conference presentations seek an answer to the question "how to love an oyster?", discuss the entanglements of nationalism and milk promotion in Nordic countries, and ask how climate anxiety is addressed in picture books for children.

Besides the scientific presentations, the University of Oulu hosts an art exhibition related with the conference theme. The exhibition will be set up for the conference days and it will present works by Liina Aalto-Setälä, Sara Blosseville, Jaana Erkkilä-Hill, Lee Deigaard, Outimaija Hakala, Riina Hannula and Oona Leinovirtanen.