Cultural aspects of the climate crisis: meanings, denials and desires of environmental relatedness
This module explores climate change as both a geophysical phenomenon and a deeply cultural and social issue. Through an anthropological lens—integrated with insights from across the human sciences—students will examine how different societies understand and relate to the environment. Key themes include cultural models of environmental relatedness, the symbolic dimensions of fossil fuel cultures, processes of denial, and social dynamics within the atmosphere. The course challenges the traditional nature/culture divide, offering critical tools to navigate the complexities of the Anthropocene.
The course is transversal to all schools of PhD in presence: we'll make of the multiplicity of your disciplinary trajectories the focus, in relation to ideas and notions of environment
The first 4 hours will be a laboratory setting where we will depart from your perceptions of climate changes (thus no digital), while the second part a following focus on some main aspects of the “unthinkable” of the climate crisis.
Seen the methodology used, the course, even more in its laboratorial aspects, requests an active presence in class of participants. It will be streamed online just for the II encounter in case, and for those who are not able to participate physically in class as workers and eventually external PhD’s.
- ECTS: 1
- Total hours: 8
- Language: English
- Mode of participation: In person, online participation is possible upon request.
- Course code: INV.TRSVL.39
- Category: GREEN COMPETENCIES
How To Apply
Contact for registration: dottorati@unimib.it
- OPENING of registrations: 3 January 2026
- CLOSING of registrations: 31 January 2026
Climate changes are definitely a geophysical dynamic, but represent a very cultural and social issue in their impacts, causes and emotional dimensions. Departing from anthropological perspective, combined with tools of different disciplines of the human sciences that are reshuffling the nature/culture divide of modern carbon economy, we will analyze together the multiple cultural and symbolic aspects of environmental relatedness in different societies. This will allow us to tackle issues at the center of research in the Anthropocene, such as cultural models of environmental relatedness, fossil cultures, its symbolic apparatus and complications, cultural processes of denial and the social relations with/in the atmosphere.
The course is transversal to all schools of PhD in person: we'll make of the multiplicity of your disciplinary trajectories the focus, in relation to ideas and notions of environment
The first 4 hours will be a laboratory setting where we will depart from your perceptions of climate changes (thus presence will be crucial), while the second part will focus on some main aspects of the “unthinkable” of the climate crisis.
Seen the methodology used, the course, even more in its laboratorial aspects, requests an active presence in class of participants.
Online participation is possible upon request.
- 03/02/26 9 am - 1 pm CET U6-34
- 17/02/26 2 pm - 6 pm CET
presence and laboratory participations
13 - Climate Action
Name of the faculty: Mauro Van Aken
Contact for registration: dottorati@unimib.it