Balancing asynchronies of the human and more-than-human
Workshop
Recent phenological research reveals that multispecies timings are being shaped by global heating, affecting the everyday temporalities of adaptation and coordination. These multispecies temporalities are in turn deeply connected to cultural, social and organisational timings.
In this workshop, we explored the role of design in revealing, representing and reimagining these (a)synchronies to support critical discussions on the effects of climate and biodiversity changes, and the rhythms, evolution, and interconnectedness of multiple species.
With an interdisciplinary approach that combines design, environmental humanities and phenology research, the workshop explored critical temporal issues through representations and imaginaries that can help shape alternative scenarios for interspecies interactions, potentially balancing asynchronies towards desirable temporal futures.
The workshop focused on four main themes:
Seasons & Climate
Group: Suzie McMurtry, Charlotte Werth, Rowan Bayliss Hawitt, Megan Stamp
This scenario focused on how changes of seasons and climate can challenge species’ adaptation strategies as well as general infrastructures. While some species will potentially go extinct due to changing habitats and food access, others may benefit from such changes and thrive. Due to survival pressure and needs, many species are expected to move to other habitats and start to interact with new species, presenting new challenges. What kind of temporal landscapes will emerge in this new context? Will there be new collaborations between adapting species – and between humans and non-humans?
Group: Raphael Kim, Jamie Weir, Maria Hällfors, Michelle Bastian
Climate change brings many threats for humans and non-humans. A situated event can have impacts beyond local governments and countries. Does this call for new governance structures – or even a renewed focus on species justice? Political interventions can support the definition of new protection areas, legislation on matters of global concern, and overarching strategies to for re-wilding, infection control, and species migration. What impact can regulations in farming, gardening, fishing and built environment have on species interactions? How does the temporality or governments and infrastructure relate to the temporalities of different species?
Group: Carolina Ramirez-Figueroa, David Farrier, Sophie Haines, Isla Myers-Smith & Yuning Chen
Every species is affected by its surrounding climate. Animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms need to constantly adapt to changing conditions, such as changes in temperature, access to food, water and shelter. These conditions can lead to changes in bodies (e.g. biomimicry strategies, growing limbs, etc) that can take place over months or thousands of years. But what happens when the temporalities of environmental change cannot be matched by the temporalities of evolution and adaptation? How does the extinction of species impact the temporality of different ecosystems as interactions are discontinued and/or new ones become established?
Group: Yulia Kovanova, Blake Ewing, Lorienne Whittle & Graham Stone
Climate change can potentially challenge imaginaries and perceptions of time and season. Consistent seasons have helped to shape social rituals, traditions, strongly influencing physical and mental health. Many cultural events depend on particular weather events or patterns and are connected to ecological events, such as the budding of specific plants. But these may lose their significane as climate and seasons change. How can the changing temporality of species have an impact on cultural life? What role could phenology methods play in this context?
