the sparrow, the swarm, the crossing: how understanding religion matters for confronting Anthropocene challenges
In person (Royce 314) or on Zoom
Understanding human dimensions of planetary challenges requires understanding religious dimensions of being human. This talk illustrates how knowledge about extinctions and biodiversity loss can be advanced through research with three different conceptions of religion. Working from sites of grounded, multispecies research on the Virginia coast, the examples suggest ways toward more fully integrating cultural inquiry into environmental change research.
Willis Jenkins is John Allen Hollingsworth Professor of Ethics and chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. Jenkins writes along intersections of ethics, religion, and environment, including The Future of Ethics, which won an American Academy of Religion Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion. Current research focuses on climate justice and ethics amidst extinctions and biodiversity loss. Jenkins also co-directs the Coastal Futures Conservatory which integrates arts and humanities into coastal change research at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research site.