Forum Basiliense

Das Anthropozän begann, sagt der Literaturwissenschaftler Alexander Honold, als der Mensch die ersten Furchen durch die Erde zog, es setzte sich fort in der Schrift, die erst eine städtische Verwaltung ermöglichte. Das Anthropozän ist, ergänzt die Religionswissenschaflterin Almut-Barbara Renger, ein offenes Konzept, das sowohl buddhistische, indigene, aber auch andere Vorstellung eines neuen Zusammengehens von Mensch und Natur umfasst. Ein Gespräch über die Dimensionen des Denkens im Anthropozän, und was sowohl Max Frisch wie auch Frankenstein damit zu tun haben.

New cities in Egypt, built from scratch in the middle of the desert, might suggest that the deserts are merely empty spaces ready for expansion and construction. But that is not the case, says Vanessa Lehmann, who works on the implications of these mega construction projects in Egypt. Conservation of ancient sites against the threats of climate change, on the other hand, reflects the responsibility we have towards buildings and structures that are hundreds and thousands years old, says Ilaria Trivelloni, the archaeologist. Both agree, that a respectful approach both to landscapes and ancient buildings are crucial in the Anthropocene.

When ice cracks, it produces sounds that are often imperceptible to the human ear. Using specialized equipment, artist and anthropologist Saadia Mirza translates these sounds into immersive installations that invite audiences to engage with the effects of climate heating. Climate change is also the subject of Doriana Cimmino's work, but in different sense: she explores the way newspapers and social media influencers talk about this subject in order to distort public perception. In the age of the Anthropocene, both skills are essential: to listen to nature, and to distinguish lies from truth.

Industrial production today relies on complex, often global supply chains which are a major source of carbon dioxide and other polluters. Elizabeth Bennett examines, how the European Union approaches the regulation of supply chains, showing which aspects are addressed, which are ignored, and the surprising consequences of these decisions. Meanwhile, Óscar Ricardo Solis-Torres goes back in time, literally diving into prehistorical underwater caves in the Gulf of Mexico, in search of very early remains of human activity, which also means: finding evidence of preliminary developments of supply chains. To understand them is understanding the Anthropocene.