CSR seminar: From Imagination to Practical Understandings – Meaning making in climate change adaptation
Seminar with Christoffer Söderlund Kanarp, researcher in Environmental Communication, Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU)
- Tuesday 18 February, 13:15-14:30
- 3A 340 at Karlstad University, or via Zoom: https://kau-se.zoom.us/j/66072543446
"In my thesis I explored meaning-making processes shaping adaptation governance, its purpose, boundaries, and how it is performed. This was done through an overview of globally circulating and competing climate adaptation imaginaries, and a layered case study of regional imaginaries and situated practices of adaptation governance in the Swedish public sector. I found that the dominant imaginaries and practices in the Swedish public sector assume that the future is predictable and controllable. These assumptions are intertwined with (often) unspoken ideals of economic growth, technological innovations and expert-led planning. This promotes proactive, but incremental adaptation strategies, where transboundary risks are ignored while transboundary benefits are assumed to remain. Consequentially, long-term perspectives, uncertainty, and plausible high-risk scenarios, are downplayed. Drawing on insights from Critical Future Studies and Social Practice Theory I reflect upon how we can understand and work for transformative adaptation, and what role civil servants and the public sector can have in this work."
Afterwards, those who want, go to the coffee room on the 35B00 floor for a joint fika.
Warm welcome!
Information
- Centre for Societal Risk Research,
Emelie Hindersson, centre coordinator - E-post: csr@kau.se

