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International Conference

The Situationality of Human-Animal Relations: Perspectives from Anthropology and Philosophy

This international conference was organised by the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities & Competence Area IV “Cultures and Societies in Transition” of the University of Cologne. How are animal-human-relations situated? What characterises such situations? And how can situationality as a theoretical concept help to elucidate ethnographic descriptions and vice versa? For anthropological and phenomenological inquiries into animal-human relations, these turn out to be important questions. To consider the numerous kinds of engagements in an environment that is shaped by humans, animals, and material objects at the same time, concepts of embodiment and emplacement are especially relevant. The participants of the conference discussed diverse theoretical and methodological approaches on this topic in order to enlighten significant animal-human situations. If we agree with social phenomenology (Schütz, Gurwitsch, Berger/Luckmann) that all encounters take place or are embedded and shaped by „situations“, then it is important to spell out what constitutes a situation and what kinds of situations we can differentiate. Between the momentary situation of being in the same room with another person and an overarching historical situation (e.g. the “colonial situation”, a “post-war situation”, etc.), a variety of situations may open up as field of interdisciplinary study.

9-10 February, 2017a.r.t.e.s. (Aachener Str. 217), 3. OG, Raum 3.A06