Online roundtable discussion
November 15, 2022, at 15.00-17.00 Central European Time (CET) (UTC+1)
Organizers: Varlam Cherkezishvili Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (East European University), Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education Society
Speakers:
Professor Giorgi Tavadze (East European University)
Emeritus Professor Davydd Greenwood (Cornell University)
Associate Professor Søren S. E. Bengtsen (Aarhus University)
Emeritus Professor Ronald Barnett (University College London)
Places are centers of meaning, they are meaningful places. We dwell in places, interact with other humans at various places and constantly move between them. Places and spaces are dynamically interlinked: sometimes a place is perceived as more bounded and local (favourite cafe in the park), but sometimes they can “stretch out” (the whole park can be considered as a place of importance). Because of this feature place researchers speak about “nesting” nature of places. And what about academic places, what about the university as a place/space? Is it a gathering place? (Heidegger) And if so, then what is being gathered around? What kind of place/space is the university? Is it possible to consider it as a circus where dangerous and risky leaps are performed, or are we being drawn towards other metaphors like the ‘factory’ or industrial site? In what sense can we speak about a placeful university?
The replies by speakers will be followed by a online group work, during which participants will brainstorm ideas about each thread discussed previously. This will be followed by a roundtable discussion at which participants will discuss the importance and practical implications of place-based thinking for the university.