Abstract

In this workshop we will be discussing Sonia Shah's book The Next Great Migration. In the book, Shah challenges our assumptions about migration and explores the scientific evidence that suggests it's a fundamental biological process shared by all living beings. Drawing from a diverse range of examples from the animal kingdom, including wildebeest, monarch butterflies, and gray whales, Shah argues that migration is a natural response to environmental change and has been essential to the evolution and survival of countless species. Through examples from the animal kingdom, from the migration of monarch butterflies to the movement of wildebeest herds, she illustrates the different ways that species have adapted to survive and thrive in a changing world. Moreover, Shah examines the human impact on migration, particularly the ways that human-made barriers such as borders, walls, and dams disrupt natural patterns of movement and threaten the survival of species. 

Bio

Sonia Shah is a science journalist and prize-winning author of critically acclaimed books on science, politics and human-animal relations. Her latest book, The Next Great Migration: The Beauty and Terror of Life on the Move, explores our centuries-long assumptions about human and animal migration through science, history, and reporting, predicting its lifesaving power in the face of climate change. A finalist for the 2021 PEN/E.O Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, it was selected as a best nonfiction book of 2020 by Publishers Weekly, a best science book of 2020 by Amazon, a best science and technology book of 2020 by Library Journal, and a Tata Literature Live! finalist for the best book of the year. Author and activist Naomi Klein calls it a “dazzlingly original picture,” “rich with eclectic research and on-the-ground reporting,” and a “story threaded with joy and inspiration.” She is currently at work on a new book on the history of human exceptionalism for Bloomsbury. 

BIOrdinary workshops series

2023 Theme: Environmental Histories, Colonial Remains and Sociobiological Journeys 

The Ecography Lab/BIOrdinary workshop series runs every spring. It is co-organized by Ecography Lab and BIOrdinary. The group meets on Thursdays every 4th week. We welcome every with an interest in more-than-human anthropology, environmental humanity, or cross-disciplinary dialogue when it comes to biodiversity, species mobility, climate issues and ecologies. The format is interactive. Participants are asked to read assigned texts or complete other tasks before each session. Sessions are organized by the BIOrdinary research team or invited guests. The events are in person events. Guest moderators may participate digitally. 

To receive readings and other information about upcoming projects or events, sign up here: biordinary@su.se.