Culture, Ethics and Sustainability
Group leader: Nina Witoszek
We explore philosophical and ethical dimensions of the nexus nature, culture, and ideology. We are especially interested in the ways cultural and historical contexts spark social transformation and cultural innovation for a sustainable future. Last but not least, we study the impact of dominant nature representations on environmental and climate change.
The group explore thematic areas like
- Environmental philosophy and ethics
- Social and ethical aspects of sustainable modernity
- Sustainability of the Nordic Model
- Green Democracy
- Nature and ideology
- Cultural innovation for a sustainable future.
- The relation between nature, culture and identity
- The role of civil society in authoritarian countries.
- Reimagining visions of sustainable, 'good life' for the 21st century
- Mobilizing cultural (ethical, religious and educational) resources to better address socio-environmental justice
Arne Næss Programme on Global Justice and the Environment
Programme Director: Nina Witoszek
We stimulate creative research and debate on the philosophical, ethical and legal dimensions of socio-environmental challenges of our time.
The uniqueness of the Arne Næss Programme - as compared to other initiatives on green growth and the climate shift - is its emphasis on the ethical and philosophical foundations of sustainable modernity.
Without critical reflection on the relationship between ethics, business, and politics, the green growth agenda risks technocratic or narrow solutions, or migrating to the domain of market forces.
Our objectives are:
- Inspiring dialogue on the ethical foundations of sustainable modernity between diverse stakeholders that rarely talk to one another, such as university students and scholars on the one hand, and politicians, civil society, artists and representatives of business community on the other;
- Stimulating public debate in the mainstream and social media on controversial and often occluded topics related to global justice and socio-environmental dilemmas;
- Awarding the annual Arne Næss Chair to a scholar, leader or activist of international renown. The Arne Næss professor is offered a stipend to spend up to two weeks at the University of Oslo, engaging with scholars, students and the public at large;
- Awarding annual Arne Næss stipends to students at the master level. The students will work on their scholarly projects in close collaboration both with each other and with senior researchers at the Center for Development and the Environment. They are also expected to participate in planning and carrying out the activities of the Arne Næss Symposium;
- In progress: establishing student exchange programme on the studies of global justice and the environment between the University of Oslo and the University of Oxford.
Global Health Politics
Group leader: Katerini Storeng
The Global Health Politics research group brings together anthropologists, historians and international relations scholars interested in the political dynamics and power structures that shape health policy and practice at global, national and local levels.
The Global Health Politics group is supported by a Research Council of Norway grant (2020-2024) that aims to promote scientific development and renewal among research groups that received high marks in the Evaluation of the Social Sciences in Norway (SAMEVAL). The group is also supported the Institute of Health and Society's RELIGHT (Research Excellence and Innovation in Global Health) programme.
The group aims to advance a critical social science research agenda on global health, through research projects focused on
- The political and social determinants of health
- Epidemic preparedness and response
- Public-private partnerships in the global governance of health
- Universal health coverage
- The transfer of health policies and evidence between global and local levels
- Civil society’s and other non-state actors' roles within global health governance
- Digital responses to global health challenges
The research group meets fortnightly, in a forum where members can receive feedback on writing in progress, and can discuss published literature relevant to members' interests.
The group also hosts the The Collective for the Political Determinants of Health and convenes the Global Health Unpacked seminar series in collaboration with the University of Oslo's Centre for Global Health.
The group collaborates with the project group of the ERC-funded Universal Health Coverage and the Public Good in Africa project.