Episode 11: Imagining and Embodying Low-Carbon Futures

In this episode, Keri and Michel are talking with historian of architecture Daniel Barber and Political Scientist and speculative world creator Johannes Stripple about the different ways we imagine a low-carbon future after fossil fuels, in particular, how we reimagine the relationships we have with the built environment. 

Hosts and Guests

• Keri Facer (Professor of Educational and Social Futures, University of Bristol, UK)
• Michel Alhadeff-Jones (Executive Director, Sunkhronos Institute, Switzerland)
• Daniel Barber (Professor of History of Architecture, Eindhoven University of Technology) 
• Johannes Stripple (Associate Professor of Political Science, Lund University, Sweden) 

Summary

In this episode, we are talking with historian of architecture Daniel Barber and Political Scientist and speculative world creator Johannes Stripple about the different ways we imagine a low-carbon future after fossil fuels, in particular, how we reimagine the relationships we have with the built environment. We touch on different sorts of speculation: inventing imaginary worlds, working practically with embodied relationships and the role of dreaming and longing. We explore how we might transform the rhythms of habitual practices as well as the rhythms of habitual ways of thinking. 

References & Resources Mentioned

• Barbara Adam & Chris Groves (talk about ‘lived futures’ in their book ‘Future Matters’)
• Daniel Barber’s book ‘Modern Architecture and Climate Design before Air Conditioning’ and Paper ‘After Comfort” and project of uncomfortable room for Venice Biennale
• David Orr (great writer on education and hope and sustainability)
• Davina Cooper’s book: ‘Everyday utopias: the conceptual life of promising spaces’ Ernst Bloch and Ruth Levitas (on critical utopias - see Bloch’s ‘The Spirit of Utopia’ and Levitas on ‘Utopia as Method’)
• Gaston Pineau (pioneer of French-speaking research conducted on ‘eco-formation’ in adult education; see his work on the role of elements such as earth, air, fire, water in adults’ life histories)
• Jennifer Wenzel (talks about gentrification of the future, the alienocene) 
• Kim Stanley Robinson’s book: ‘2140 - a flooded future’ 
• Maria Ojalo (and her work on critical hope)
• The future Museum exhibit mentioned is ‘Carbon Ruins’
• The Rough Guide to Notterdam
• Stuart Candy & Jake Duggan (experiential futures)
• William Gibson (the great Scifi writer) 

External Links

• The Times of a Just Transition - Global Convening Programme: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/projects/the-times-of-a-just-transition/ 
• Sunkhronos Institute: https://www.sunkhronos.org/ 
• The Temporal Imagination: https://www.temporalimagination.org 

The Temporal Imagination Podcast is supported by

• British Academy “The Times of a Just Transition” Global Convening Programme
• Sunkhronos Institute
• The School of Education, University of Bristol
• The Sarchi Chair in Global Change and Social Learning, Rhodes University

Credits

• Hosts: Michel Alhadeff-Jones & Keri Facer
• Audio/video editing: Sarah Van Borek, Michel Alhadeff-Jones, Keri Facer
• Artwork: Harriet Hand
• Music: Briony Greenhill, “Die Every Day” 
• Recorded and edited with Riverside.fm and Adobe Premiere

To watch the video recording of this podcast (which includes closed captions), go to: https://www.youtube.com/@institutsunkhronos/podcasts