Whether you’re a researcher or just curious, come join the debate at the OCEH Lab.
🔗 Full details, locations, and registration links are available on our website: www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english...
#Envhum #Sápmi #Sustainability #Museums
What’s on the agenda?
• Mar 16: A "Minifestival" on the reality of greening the museum sector—moving beyond buzzwords to practical action. (In Norwegian)
• Mar 27: Dr. Anne-Maria Magga on "Siida" laws and how Sámi traditions offer vital alternatives to Western land use.
An event flyer titled "March at OCEH" featuring a close-up photo of a single purple crocus flower budding through green leaves and soil.
New month, new activities at OCEH! ❄️➡️🌱
As the winter frost begins to lift, our March calendar is shifting toward two of the most pressing conversations in the environmental humanities today.
We’re opening our doors to unpack the "green shift" in both our museums and our laws.
Want to stay connected? Our community is growing, and we’d love to have you along for the next chapter of OCEH research.
📧 Subscribe here for future updates: sympa.uio.no/hf.uio.no/su...
#EnvironmentalHumanities #Envhum
Dive into the full update, including a feature on how Viking-age place-names can help us "think like a tree" in the 21st century.
📖 Read the February Newsletter here: www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english...
What’s new? 🔬
• We are now a hub for 8 new research groups exploring themes like ritual, care, and acoustic memory.
• Welcome to visiting scholar Giulia Girardi, researching "multispecies fashion."
• Recaps of our "walking seminars" and plant politics talks.
Cover image for OCEH Newsletter #4, February 2026.
The February OCEH Newsletter is out!
Following a period of growth and the arrival of several new projects in 2025, we are thrilled to announce that 2026 marks the official start of our new research community. The "next phase" of the Center is no longer a plan - it is happening.
To pass the time in the dark, freezing gloom, Mary and her friends held a ghost story contest.
In that "ungenial" volcanic atmosphere, Frankenstein was born. It’s a powerful reminder that our myths are often sparked by the shifting world around us.
In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted, sending an ash cloud so massive it blocked the sun globally.
By 1816, the "Year Without a Summer" hit Europe. Snow fell in July, crops failed, and relentless volcanic storms trapped 19-year-old Mary Shelley indoors at Lake Geneva ⛈️
Moody, foggy landscape with red text boxes explaining how a volcanic eruption and the "Year Without a Summer" inspired Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
Could a volcanic eruption in Indonesia be the reason we have Frankenstein? 🧟♂️
In the world of Environmental Humanities, we look at how the Earth’s forces shape our culture. This is the story of the "Year Without a Summer" and the birth of a monster.
Job alert!
We are looking for talented PhD researchers to write a dissertation on Benzaiten worship in modern Japan or Mazu pilgrimages in Taiwan, as part of the ERC project "Maritime Goddesses: Transnational Connections, Blue Environments, and Ritual Care in East- and Southeast Asia" (MARGO).
"The words we use matter."
We sat down with Colin to talk about trees, tales, and the intersection of folklore and the climate crisis. Read the full conversation on the OCEH blog:
🔗 www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english...
#EnvironmentalHumanities #VikingAge #Folklore #EnvHum
Colin’s research bridges Old Norse studies and archaeology to ask a fascinating question: How did traditional forestry and shipbuilding shape the medieval worldview? ⛵️
More importantly: How can that ancient ecological knowledge help us reimagine our relationship with the living world today?
Is a forest an economic resource, a place of mystery, or a site of worship? 🍃
For folklorist Dr. Colin Gioia Connors, the answer is hidden in the "social life" of ancient place-names. We’re hosting him at OCEH this year as he digs into the roots of the Scandinavian landscape.
Kicking things off tomorrow, Feb 3!
📖 14:00: The Al-Ard Book Club meets to discuss Cities of Salt by Abdel Rahman Munif.
🌱 14:15: A reading group on "Theogenic Soils" & forests in the Blang Mountains with Daniel Mohseni Kabir Bäckström.
Both are hybrid (Oslo + Zoom)!
Want to join us? Most events are open to all, but some require an RSVP or have Zoom links.
Check the full program and get all the details here: 🔗 www.hf.uio.no/ikos/english...
#EnvHum #EnvironmentalHumanities #Oslo #UiO
Ready for some fresh air? 🏔️☕️
On Feb 12, join Zack Abrams for an outdoor lunch seminar at Frognerseteren. We’re discussing how we write about crises while living through them. Includes an optional snowy walk to the Rose Castle! ❄️
On Feb 9, we’re getting creative with artist Zheng Bo 🌿🎨
Join us for a morning drawing session at Victoriahuset (Botanical Garden), followed by a film screening and panel discussion at Kunstnernes Hus. We’ll be exploring how plants "practice politics." 🪴🎥
Poster titled "February at OCEH" showing four events: Book Club (Feb 3), Reading Group (Feb 3), Drawing & Film with Zheng Bo (Feb 9), and Lunch Seminar with Zack Abrams (Feb 12). Set against a frosty blue winter background.
February at OCEH is looking busy! ❄️✨ From the politics of plants to community-led writing in times of crisis, we have a full month of events coming up at OCEH.
A quick thread of what’s happening... 👇
Want to see what else is happening at OCEH this semester? You can find our full calendar and event details on our website here:
👉 shorturl.at/EUzDQ
See you there! ❄️
#Envhum #UiO #ClimateJustice
🌍 Jan 12 | 13:15–14:45 Seminar: Against the Planetary.
Organized by the Centre for South Asian Democracy and OCEH. Kasia Paprocki & Michael Levien discuss "carbon fetishism" and climate solutions in Bangladesh and Louisiana.
rb.gy/ni1fek
🦴 Jan 8 | 13:00–16:00 Workshop: Sacred Bones in the Landscape.
Organized by the REAP group, this session explores how ritual, memory, and ecology intersect through human and animal remains in Vietnam and Japan.
shorturl.at/0STff
Event poster for the Oslo Center for Environmental Humanities (OCEH). The background shows brown leaves under a layer of cracked ice.
Happy New Year from the Oslo Center for Environmental Humanities! 🌿
We’re kicking off 2026 with a busy January. From the "ecosemiotics" of sacred remains to the politics of global climate action, we have some deep dives planned.
Check out the thread below for details! 👇 🧵
We’re so grateful for the energy everyone brought to our sessions these last few months. Wishing you all a restful break and a wonderful start to 2026!
Want to stay updated? Subscribe to our newsletter here: shorturl.at/QWIsK
#EnvironmentalHumanities #Envhum
Inside this edition:
📸 Recent gatherings & lunch seminars.
✨ Introducing visiting researcher Hauke Ohls & new blog contributors.
🌱 A first look at our 2026 research groups (Metabolic Sentinels & Soundshed).
❄️ Why Christmas was once banned in England!
OCEH Newsletter 3 cover
It’s been a busy semester at OCEH! ❄️ As the year draws to a close, we’re happy to share our third newsletter, capturing a cross-section of our work - from music and anthropology to food systems and environmental art.
Read the full update here: shorturl.at/q0VXh
A great way to end the semester! Hope to see you Monday in the OCEH Lab! 👋
#EnvHum #Musicology #Vienna
Sadie explores how poetic references to Wienerwald's "fresh air" were timely subtexts against the city's smog/dust. A fascinating blend of musicology & environmental history 🎶🌳
Come for the talk & stay for the treats!
Full info: shorturl.at/ERn0S
Final OCEH event of 2025! 🥳 Join our Lunch Seminar + cozy Julegløgg Social! 🎄
🗓️ Dec 15th, 12:15 PM
Sadie Menicanin: "The Air of the Vienna Woods."
Learn how forest air and music responded to Vienna's poor air quality circa 1900.
Gløgg & pepperkaker served! ☕🍪 Details 👇
From forest to front room, the Christmas tree is more than decoration. It’s a powerful example of how culture, ritual, and ecology intertwine across time and continents.
That’s what environmental humanities help us trace 🌲✨
