New perspectives on human-plant relationships

How do plants shape our daily lives? Starting in October, a two-semester lecture series at the University of Würzburg will address this question and provide insights into the new field of plant study in the cultural sciences. They are the basis of life, recreational space, economic goods, medicine and much more: plants are connected to us humans in many ways, which is becoming increasingly clear due to the ecological crises of our time. That is why new cultural and social science research areas are now developing that take a closer look at the relationship between humans and plants. Research is also being conducted on this at the Julius Maximilians University (JMU). From October 2023 to January 2024, the Chair of European Ethnology / Cultural Analysis will host the first part of a lecture series that offers the public exciting insights and current findings on human-plant studies under the topic "Vegal Turn". "For the coming winter semester, we have invited researchers who look at how plants shape human everyday life from different perspectives," says Chair Prof. Michaela Fenske. "For example, it's about the role of plants as agents in the visual arts and literature, or about the knowledge that comes into play in the horticultural care of plants." "In addition, the question is raised: Does plant labour exist and, if so, what could be understood by it?" adds Dr Arnika Peselmann, who is researching at the Chair in a DFG project on human-plant relations in modern commercial fruit growing.