organized by the Institute for Science, Innovation and Society, of the Radboud University Nijmegen in cooperation with the International Society for Environmental Ethics (ISEE)

sponsored by

• Institute for Science Innovation and Society, Radboud University Nijmegen
• International Society for Environmental Ethics
• International Association for Environmental Philosophy
• Applied Philosophy Group, Wageningen University
• Netherlands School for Research in Practical Philosophy

The intended establishment of a European Network for Environmental Ethics in 2011 is a nice occasion for ISEE to have its next annual meeting in Europe. The meeting will focus on differences between Old World and New World perspectives on a range of topics in environmental philosophy including nature, landscape, wilderness, history and many others. Our hope is to attract a broad cross-section of the environmental philosophy community from America, Europe, and other continents.  We especially encourage participation by graduate students.

The conference plan includes free time for hiking/cycling and conversation. With ample time for excursions conference participants will be able to discuss issues such as the conflicts between ecological restoration and cultural landscape protection in their real life context. We will visit some demonstration projects for the conservation of cultural landscape, that show how landscapes can be improved through the use of traditional (agricultural) land use practices. In addition, we will visit the "Gelderse Poort" ecological restoration project along the borders of the Rhine where the attempt ias made to 'liberate the land from past human interventions' and create ‘new wilderness'. (More information about the management policy of Gelderse Poort can be found  here.) Environmentalists from different groups representing different views will be invited to take part in our debates.

KEY NOTE SPEAKERS

• Marcus Hall (environmental history, University of Zurich, Switzerland), on the transatlantic history of ecological restoration

• Brian Schroeder (environmental philosophy, Rochester institute of Technology, and co-director of International Association for Environmental Philosophy), on Old World and New World perspectives in environmental philosophy

• Author meets critics: Matthias Groß: Ignorance and surprise. Science, Society,and Ecological Design (MIT Press 2010)

   

• Moreover, there will be 72 paper presentations. All papers for the themed and general sessions will be available on the conference website from May 9th, 2011 (available for registered participants only - see 'Presentations').

• In all general paper sessions, commentators will offer a few critical/constructive thoughts as an upbeat for discussion.

• We still welcome offers for chairing sessions. Send expressions of your willingness to chair via email to: Martin Drenthen <m.drenthen@science.ru.nl>, with an email subject line of ‘ISEE Conference chair'.

   

   

• Venue

  Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands; it celebrated its 2000th anniversary in 2005. It lies at the borders of the Rhine River, close to the German border. Nijmegen is a typical university town: it harbors the Radboud University and several institutes for professional education. It is world-famous for its annual four-day marches, the largest hiking event in the world (more than 40.000 hikers walk 200 km). Nijmegen is one of the greenest cities of the Netherlands, both politically (the Green Party won the latest elections) and in terms of surroundings.

  The conference will take place in De Holthurnse Hof, a former estate in a forest clearing, close to the city border of Nijmegen and less than 1 km from the German border. On site, there is a former Roman pottery. The conference center is spacious, fitted with all modern conveniences, has a fairly good hotel, restaurant and brasserie/bar. The venue lies along the famous Seven Hills Road (Zevenheuvelenweg), and is situated in a designated Natura 2000 area; amidst a centuries-old cultural landscape with a mix of farmland and woods. The hilly terrain was formed by a glacial moraine in the last ice age and attracts many hikers from the Netherlands and elsewhere. The landscape contains many signs of history, ranging from ancient Roman remains such as aqueducts to remains of the 2nd World War such as the large Canadian military cemetery that remembers one of the biggest WWII battles, Operation Market Garden, that took place in these surroundings.

  Housing

• There are several hotels and camp sites in the vicinity of the venue. For details on housing options, go to the 'accomodation' section of this website.

•   THERE IS ONLY ONE VACANT BED IN A SHARED ROOM (WOMEN ONLY) AVAILABLE AT THE VENUE. If you are interested, please contact the organizers

  Transportation

  Nijmegen can easily be reached from Amsterdam Airport by a direct train which takes about 1.5 hours (or, alternatively, from Düsseldorf Airport (Germany) by train in less than 2 hours). Attendees traveling from European destinations are encouraged to travel by train to Nijmegen (or to the neighbouring German city of Kleve). You can plan your train trip here:  http://ns.nl/en/

• ACCESSIBILITY BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT  The venue itself, 'De Holthurnse Hof', is easily accessible from Nijmegen train station by city bus in 20 minutes (or by bicycle in less than 30 minutes). Take city bus number 8 to 'Berg en Dal', and disembark at bus stop 'Groot Berg en Dal' (end of the line). The venue lies at a 10 minutes walk from the bus stop. Go straigh ahead at the rondabout, past 'Tivoli'park , then turn right on a small paved road (there is a sign to 'Holthurnse Hof'). (You can plan your bus ánd train trip on http://journeyplanner.9292.nl/ , the journeyplanner of public transport in the Netherlands).

Address of veneu:

   Landgoed Holthurnse Hof

   Zevenheuvelenweg 48A

•  Rental bikes and shuttle bus can be arranged on (timely) request.

• The meeting will start on a Tuesday June 14th 2011 with lunch, and end on a Friday June 17th 2011 with lunch.

  REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW.

• More information about the conference: 

  Martin Drenthen (m.drenthen@science.ru.nl) and Jozef Keulartz (Jozef.Keulartz@wur.nl), on behalf of the conference committee.

  For more information and support with registration: iseenijmegen2011@science.ru.nl.