Overcoming the sad affects of the energy transition

Speaker: Dr Benoit Dillet (University of Bath) will give a talk on "Overcoming the sad affects of the energy transition", co-authored with Sophia Hatzisavvidou (University of Bath). This talk will also mark their new book release, Transition Imaginaries: Contested Temporalities, Affective Politics, and Decolonial Technology.

Abstract

The current preoccupation with the future, in terms of the sixth mass extinction or post-apocalyptic futures, produces sad affects such as eco-anxiety and grief. These sad affects diminish our power to act by dissociating people from the climate issue. Considering the ability of affects to augment or diminish our power to act, I point to the importance of infusing any alternative to the dominant transition paradigm with positive affects, such as joy and pleasure. I discuss the local experimentations of ZAD Notre-Dame-des-Landes as offering new positive attachments that counter the technocapitalist transition imaginary and produce joyful affects. Rather than serving as models of a utopian living, they function as images and produce affects, connecting to the structural and collective order.

Chair/discussant: Dr Angela Marques Filipe (Sociology, Durham University). Email: angela.m.filipe@durham.ac.uk.

The Zoom link will be circulated closer to the event. If you have any access requirements, please get in touch with us at imh.events@durham.ac.uk.

Please note that this event is free to attend.

This talk is organised by the Institute for Medical Humanities' Weather, Climate, and Health Research Theme, co-led by: Jed Stevenson (Anthropology), Maximilian Hepach (Geography) and Angela Marques Filipe (Sociology).