Place Wisdom

The SIEF Working Group on Place Wisdom aims to develop understanding of places that contest conventional divisions between culture and nature – in particular, understandings based on ecological beliefs and practices, and the traditions that these draw inspiration from. The group promotes and supports ways of working that explore, examine, and analyse the relationships of humans within multispecies and more-than-human environments, and seek out possibilities for sustainable and relational responses.

We are interested in transgenerational, interregional, and intercultural transfer of knowledge, skills and values; that look at the creative potential of living traditions in their socio-ecological contexts, and at the role of the ethnologist in the tradition process.

The working group is interested in engaging across disciplines, to research a world in undisciplined polycrisis. It is concerned with ecological, economical, spiritual, and technological relations to place, and the work of myth and storytelling in the formation of emplaced community. We are curious about economies of care, dignity, and grace.

As a group we are keen to partner with other researchers and local communities, and to leverage collaboration to enable meaningful projects that bridge academia and community-based work. We are continuing to initiate bids to diverse research funding bodies, and are interested to hear from potential collaborators across disciplines, institutions, and practices.

TThe working group will continue to propose panels for SIEF’s congresses. In addition, we plan to hold online and on-site events wherever possible. We would encourage current and potential members to get in touch about sharing their research or learning more about the group.

Image copyrighted to C. McCullagh and P. Latvala-Harvilahti

The foundation and development of the Place Wisdom Working Group

The SIEF Place Wisdom Working Group was initiated in 2009 by colleagues associated with the Academy for Irish Cultural Heritages (University of Ulster), the Ethnological Research Unit (UWE Bristol), and the Centre for Human Ecology (University of Strathclyde). Following the workshop ‘Between Habitus and Habitat: Steps towards EcoEthnology’ at the 9th SIEF Congress, researchers from these and other universities with successful research programmes in this field formed this SIEF Working Group.

Historically, the working group had aimed to establish a repository of multimedia, ethnographically-inflected records relating to the multiple disciplines, epistemologies, and research/practice outcomes that reflected its interests in the interactions and interfaces of people and places across Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Systems –wisdoms of place. While no such repository has been assembled, we continue to explore new ways to share from our members’ experiences and expertise, including through in-person and virtual workshops and gatherings.

Co-Chairs:

PD Dr. Anne Dippel, Braunschweig University of the Arts and Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, a.dippel(at)hbk-bs.de

Sarah R. Squire, University of the Highlands and Islands, sarah.squire(at)uhi.ac.uk

Secretary:

Niamh MacKenzie, University of the Highlands and Islands, 09017414(at)uhi.ac.uk

For further information or to be included in this working group please contact Anne Dippel, Sarah Squire, or Niamh MacKenzie.

If you are already a member, and find that your name is not listed here or you need to update your contact information, please likewise contact Anne, Sarah, or Niamh.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Members:

Badura, Jens
Bertran, Aleida
Bula, Dace
Bułat-Silva, Zuzanna
Dippel, Anne
Farkas, Judit
Fitzgerald, Kelly
Gearey, Mary
Gonzales, Laya
Haanpää, Riina
Klekot, Ewa
Kockel, Ullrich
Koskinen-Koivisto, Eerika
Kay, Kirsty
Kõiva, Mare
Kouri, Jaana
Latvala-Harvilahti, Pauliina
Laurén, Kirsi
Mathis, Alena
Melcer-Padon, Nourit
Muktupāvela, Rūta
Nic Craith, Máiréad
Siivonen, Katriina
Walters, Victoria
Österlund-Pötzsch, Susanne