This seminar is part of the Oxford Food Governance Group Seminar Series - Michaelmas Term 2012: 'The Politics and Practices of Food Governance' and is hosted by the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food and Green Templeton College

Speaker: Dr Michael Guggenheim, Goldsmiths, University of London

Biography: Michael studied and Zürich, Switzerland and Berlin,Germany and obtained a PhD in Sociology in 2005 from the University of Zürich. He worked and researched in Budapest, Vienna, Montreal, Berlin before he came to the UK. he taught both artists at art schools and natural scientists at technical universities, which was important for his understanding of how to teach sociology and how it can be used to intervene in the world. It was always important to him to work and experiment with different media and produce both theoretical texts but also visual and sensory works.

His work thus far has been defined by different yet connected themes relating to the relationship between experts and lay people, the role of objects for this relationship and on methodical and theoretical innovation derived from the combination of science studies with sociological theory. He is currently directing an ERC-funded project "Organising Disaster: Civil Protection and the Population", which looks at how disaster experts conceive of the population. Previously, he worked on change of use of buildings and how materiality and use interrelate. For his PhD he studied environmental experts and how they produce the environment at the intersection of science, politics and the economy. He also work with colleagues Bernd Kräftner and Judith Kröll on an approach that we call “incubation” that combines sociology and art. Currently they are working on a project "In the Event of... Anticipatory and Participatory Politics of Emergency Provision". Previously, he was a co-curator of "die wahr/falsch inc.", an exhibition on science and the public in Vienna.

Venue: Barclay Room, Green Templeton College

All welcome, Sandwich lunch provided