Building the University Community by Appreciating the More‐Than‐Human Campus

The concept of a “more-than-human” world seeks to break down perceived boundaries between humans and all “others”, focusing on the relationships that exist between all species. In the University, students and staff are encouraged to be part of an inclusive community. And yet, many activities and policies may be said to centre on the interests of the human animals, constituting one group within the wider University community. With this in mind, this walkshop challenges what is meant by the term “community”. Participants will be invited to think about how the term can be extended to explicitly recognise the non-humans who share the University spaces and are embedded within teaching and learning practices.

The walkshop will start with a brief overview of current research in this area and an outline of the outdoor activity. Linking to work carried out by Bastian (2017) and Browne (2015) on more-than-human participation in education and research, each group will have an opportunity to experience the Pollock Halls land from different non-human viewpoints through guided activities. After returning to the conference centre, the groups will share their experiences of connecting with some of the non-humans who share the land. Together, we will think about how we build community in the University and what lessons may be learned by recognising kinship with the land, plants and all creatures.

References
Bastian, M. (2017) ‘Towards a more-than-human participatory research’. In Bastian, M., Jones, O., Moore, N., Roe, E. (eds). Participatory Research in More-Than-Human Worlds. London: Routledge, 19-37
Browne, S. (ed.) (2015). Between a Dog and a Wolf: An Animal Empathy Workbook. Derry: CCA Derry~Londonderry