Announcement and Programme Details
Announcement and Other Details
Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (Institute for Medical Psychology)
University for Life and Peace (Taipei, in preparation)
Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler (VDW, Federation of German Scientists)
Announce an
Interdisciplinary and International
Winter School (online) Oct 28-29 / Nov 11-12 / Dec 2, 2023
Mental Condition, Social Communication and Technological Innovation –
Interconnected Resources for Ecological Transformation
有關生命與和平大學（ULP）和以往的冬季學校的資訊：
Chinese subtitle ＞拯救生態的最後一哩路 - 生命和平大學
English subtitle ＞Last Mile for Saving Earth's Ecology
Applications must contain:
CV Present status of Education
Letter of intent (about 1 Page)
And should be sent not later than August 1, 2023 to:
office@michael-von-brueck.de c/o Dr. Sonja Lichtenstern
Please note: free of costs; credit points can be obtained
University for Life and Peace (Ling Jiou Mountain, Taiwan; Yangon, Myanmar)
In Cooperation with the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU),
Germany and the Federation of Scientists (VDW), Berlin, Germany
Online Winter School Oct 28-29 / Nov 11-12 / Dec 2, 2023
Mental Condition, Social Communication and Technological Innovation – Interconnected Resources for Ecological Transformation
PROGRAM
1. Background
From Insight to action.
“This way it is not enough” (E.U.von Weizsäcker) Conference after conference sets new targets in order to avoid destruction of the conditions for life on earth. The two most important issues being probably global warming and the fast destruction of biodiversity. More and more governments, industries, research centers and large civil movements (such as “Fridays for Future”) do see the problems and engage in preventing the ecosystems from collapse. But this is not enough. Why do we (human beings in general) not act, though we know basically what needs to be done? How can we enhance and speed up the processes that would lead to a fundamental turn in our behaviour? Why do we not act with sufficient intensity?
These are the basic question for our Winter School. These questions will be focused in two practical dimensions:
- How to create and enact individual motivation and courage for ecological change based on creativity and the joy of engagement?
- How to engage and integrate institutional or social actors by overcoming inertia and selfcentered attitudes?
Mental condition (thinking, feeling, will) is shaped by our ways of thinking and evaluating internal as well as external processes (mind and nature). This is not fixed. We can learn to live in harmony within ourselves and with our environment. Many people (especially indigenous cultures in the forests) do still have a mentality we can learn from. In modern sciences this is being taken up by fascinating research about the life (and sensitivity) of plants and animals: Plants and animals are not objects to our disposal but co-beings, and we humans share our life with them. What does this mean for our communication with other forms of life, and for the development of our technologies which are not tools for using and exploiting nature in destructive ways, but instruments for sharing with nature the fundamental resources of life. If we develop patterns for our life style which are based on the three aspects of this title as interconnected resources, we might develop a spiritual ecology in depth.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this Winter School is twofold:
- First we want to enable our students as decision makers in the future to understand the mental condition and social restrictions as well as opportunities to master the ecological turn.
- Second we want to enlarge our network among universities and strengthen our ties with them and with research institutions around the globe in order to make the contribution of ULP to the transformative processes in view of the ecological turn viable.
In order to foster these goals the WS will bring eminent scholars together so as to inspire the participants to creative ways of thinking, rethinking, stimulating appropriate emotions and organize action.
3. Method
The basic proposition of all our activities is the realization that all aspects and forms of life are interrelated.
a) Seminal lectures by outstanding scholars and champions of ecological change will start processes of rethinking
b) which are reflected and actualized in panel discussions
c) leading to the formulation of virtual projects which will be worked out as group papers under the tuition of experienced professors and alumni of our previous Winter Schools.
d) The papers will be evaluated by a team of scholars. There will be prizes for the best three papers.
4. Timetable
5. Requirements for Students
In order to complete the course successfully students will have to participate in all sessions of the online Winter School. They will write research papers on virtual projects, and they themselves decide on the topics. It is suggested to form groups of 4-5 students writing the papers collectively under the supervision and advise of the professors selected
6. Benefit for Students
Students of the WS 2023 will get in touch with some of the most outstanding academic thinkers in the field of ecology as well as activists sharing their experiences. By identifying areas of holistic engagement and developing virtual project papers with colleagues from other fields they will develop their own contribution and academic proficiency as important fundaments for their further career in the field. Papers will be validated and a Certificate from the University of Munich will be issued. Usually Universities will acknowledge (ECTS) credit points, but students have to discuss this with the administration of their respective universities themselves.
7. Grading Papers
Papers will be graded by a core group of 3 scholars working as advisors with the different groups (Michael von Brück, Anastasia Zabaniotou, Alexander Benz) and one member of LJM. Depending on the subjects of the papers the core group may ask for support from the pool of professors who are nominated as advisors.
Criteria for grading are:
- Originality
- Practical Importance and Integrated Methodology
- Formal Consistency
