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Join Us For Prof. Eben Kirksey Lecture: Big Sugar Made Big COVID: How Metabolic Rifts Made Us Vulnerable to a Virus
Why are coronaviruses actively circulating among people and animals? Is the common narrative about Wuhan as the epicenter of COVID-19 fundamentally flawed? How has industrial agriculture—especially sugar production—disrupted ecological and metabolic processes, making both bats and humans more vulnerable to pandemics?
In this compelling lecture, Professor Eben Kirksey (University of Oxford) presents insights from extended field research in Southeast Asia using multispecies ethnographic methods. By tracing the connections between deforestation, bat stress, and viral spillover, this talk will challenge mainstream pandemic narratives and propose a broader understanding of ecological vulnerability.
Join us for an enlightening lecture by Professor Robyn Eckersley!
Title: Purposes Beyond Ourselves: The Past, Present, and Future of Nonanthropocentric Environmental Political Theory
Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
Time: 15:00-16:30
Location: Visitor Center
In this compelling lecture, Professor Robyn Eckersley will take us on a journey through the rise and evolution of nonanthropocentric environmental political theory (EPT) since the 1990s. Drawing inspiration from the rapid development of environmental philosophy in the 1980s, she will revisit key debates about the meaning, possibility, and desirability of nonanthropocentrism.
The lecture will critically compare the first wave of EPT with the new materialist and posthumanist-inspired theories of the new Millennium. It will also reflect on the challenges of defending “ecological purposes beyond ourselves” in a world marked by growing inequality, political polarization, and the hollowing out of democracy.
This is a unique opportunity to engage with one of the leading voices in environmental political theory and to reflect on the future of ecocentric advocacy. Don’t miss it!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Eco-Emancipation Conference 2025 | Call for Student Panelists!
Are you passionate about the intersection of environmental sustainability and social justice? Do you want to share your ideas and engage in meaningful discussions with peers and scholars?
Join us for the Student Panel on April 10, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM, as part of the Eco-Emancipation Conference at Duke Kunshan University! This is your chance to discuss, debate, and share your perspectives on eco-emancipation and its role in shaping a sustainable and just future.
Inspired by Sharon Krause’s groundbreaking book, Eco-Emancipation: An Earthly Politics of Freedom, this panel invites students to take the spotlight and contribute to the conversation. Food and refreshments will be provided, making it a perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded peers in a relaxed setting.
✨ Why participate?
✅ Engage with experts & leading scholars
✅ Share your perspectives in the Student Panel
✅ Access free books & materials on eco-emancipation
✅ Enjoy complimentary refreshments & network with like-minded peers
✨ Food and refreshment will be provided.
Scan to Sign Up
Join Us For Eco-Emancipation Conference!
Hosted at Duke Kunshan University, this three-day event will bring together scholars to examine pressing issues surrounding environmental justice, biocultural rights, and post-growth futures. Through keynote talks, panel discussions, and workshops, participants will explore the complexities of eco-emancipation and the evolving relationships between humans and the natural world.
We welcome all those interested in these critical discussions to join us in exploring new perspectives and solutions. By challenging dominant frameworks and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, this conference aims to inspire bold ideas and concrete actions toward a more just and ecologically responsible future.
Conference Schedule
April 10, 2025
| Time | Theme | Speaker/Activity | Duration |
| 15:00-16:30 | Purposes beyond ourselves: the past, present and future of nonanthropocentric environmental political theory | Robyn Eckersley University of Melbourne | 90min (incl. Q&A) |
| 16:30-17:30 | Reception Dinner | 60min | |
| 17:30-19:00 | Student Panel | Student Presentations | 90min |
April 11, 2025
| Time | Speaker | Duration |
| Morning Session:
9:00-11:30 |
Sharon Krause (Zoom)
Brown University – [TBD] |
30min + 30min Q&A |
| Marion Hourdequin (Zoom)
Colorado College – Eco-Emancipation from the Ground Up: Rekindling Responsible Relations |
20min + 20min Q&A | |
| Robyn Eckersley
University of Melbourne – Purposes beyond ourselves: the past, present and future of nonanthropocentric environmental political theory |
20min + 20min Q&A | |
| Afternoon Session:
15:00-17:30 |
Alf Hornborg (Zoom)
Lund University – Thinking with the world: The challenge of adapting human agency to the remainder of the biosphere |
20min + 20min Q&A |
| Lisa Ellis (Zoom)
University of Otago – Beyond Extractivism in Theory and Practice |
20min + 20min Q&A | |
| Renee Richer
Duke Kunshan University – White Man’s Footprints |
20min + 20min Q&A |
April 12, 2025
| Time | Speaker | Duration |
| Morning Session:
9:00-11:45 |
T. J. Demos (Zoom)
UC Santa Cruz – Gaza’s Genocide/Ecocide, Technolibertarian Warfare, and the Seeds of Survival |
20min + 20min Q&A |
| Isabel Altamirano-Jimenez
University of Alberta – Towards an Indigenous Understanding of Life Making Relationships |
20min + 20min Q&A | |
| Miguel Rojas-Sotelo
Duke University – At the Center of the World: Tombs, Weed, Coca, War, and Peace. |
20min + 20min Q&A | |
| Robin Rodd
Duke Kunshan University – Biocultural rights as emancipatory vector |
20min + 20min Q&A | |
| Afternoon Session:
15:00-17:30 |
Rowan Alcock
Tsinghua University – Postfiguring and Prefiguring Post-Growth China? Reclaiming the Commons Through Radical Care. |
20min + 20min Q&A |
| Eben Kirksey
University of Oxford – Big Sugar Made Big COVID: How Metabolic Rifts Made Us Vulnerable to a Virus |
20min + 20min Q&A | |
| Quinlan Bowman
Duke Kunshan University – [TBD] |
20min + 20min Q&A |
Speaker List
