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Debate

CPP Colloquium "Academic Activism and the Climate Crisis"

Date
Thursday 9 November 2023
Time
Series
CPP Colloquia 2023-2024
Location
Gravensteen
Pieterskerkhof 6
2311 SR Leiden
Room
1.11

The Centre of Political Philosophy is pleased to announce a lecture by Thomas Fossen, University Lecturer Political Philosophy at our Institute for Philosophy.

Dr. Thomas Fossen

Many academics today struggle with their role in the climate and ecological crises. They are increasingly taking to the streets to demand emergency measures, not just as citizens, but as scientists and scholars—breaking the (perceived) division of labor between scholars who provide information, and politicians, who act upon it. How should we conceptualize and evaluate such actions? Does the failure of governments to effectively address climate change show that the self-understanding of the disengaged academic has become untenable, and that we must act politically as academics to prevent climate breakdown? Or is political action a problematic instrumentalization of our academic status—one that compromises the objectivity of the scientist, feeds polarization, and undermines efforts of public education?

About the Center for Political Philosophy (CPP) Colloquia Series


The CPP is a collaboration between the Institute for Philosophy and the Institute for Political Science at Leiden University. Attendance of the Colloquia is free and there is no need to register. See CPP for more information. For further questions please contact dr. Tim Meijers at t.meijers@hum.leidenuniv.nl

All are welcome!

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