Dear followers of the Environmental Humanities Center,
For a while now, we have avoided writing an official “Corona policy” blog post. When we cancelled our Andreas Malm lecture on the 12th of March, we had no idea about the duration of these measures yet. Almost a month later, it is clear that we will not be gathering in person any time soon. Because we usually organise lectures, book clubs, and other face-to-face happenings, this means that we will miss interaction with those who usually come to our events.
However, this is a time for reflection for all of us. Social distancing and reconsidering what we value most may inspire new insights. We have received a blogpost by Elena Burgos Martinez, researcher and assistant professor at Leiden University, in which she reflects on the current crisis from an environmental humanities perspective. This contribution initiated the Environmental Humanities Guest Blog Project. In the following weeks, we will publish different pieces written by students, team members, researchers from all across, who feel the need to share their thoughts on Covid-19 from an environmental humanities perspective.
Please contact us via this form if you want to contribute an essay or blogpost yourself, and we will get in touch with you.
Personal reflections are also welcome. To kick things off, I would like to switch to my authorial voice now. As student assistant to EHC, I (Joëlle) am devastated that we will not be able to offer you our original programming. In June I will leave this position and I will hopefully graduate this summer, and not being fully able to get closure on those two things feels strange. This month has been full of video-call meetings, which means that my commuting days are over. Instead of commuting to the concrete wasteland of Amsterdam Zuid, I now often venture into the nature reserve in my hometown. Instead of watching the sunset from my train window, absentmindedly checking emails and not giving it a second thought, I am more mindful on my walks now. I appreciate the daily escape from the terrible news, Zoom-meetings, and my thesis. The pictures in this introductory post were taken by me on my many solitary walks.
Take care everyone.
Environmental Humanities Center Amsterdam 