In early June 2024, four University of Johannesburg (UJ) Philosophy students attended the Environmental Philosophy Summer School in the Czech Republic, contributing to international discussions on animal and environmental ethics. The students, Tsholo Molokeloa, Nhlanhla Lebesi, Grant Nash, and M Lombaard, presented their diverse research and engaged in enriching academic exchanges with peers from around the world.
Student research highlights
These students, guided by Professor Catherine Botha from the Department of Philosophy at UJ, received funding from the Faculty of Humanities, facilitated by the Executive Dean, Professor Kammila Naidoo. Their participation in this summer school highlights UJ’s commitment to fostering academic excellence and global engagement.
The summer school was organised by a team from various institutions: David Rozen and Serhij Kiš from the University of Pardubice, Julita Skotarska from Charles University, Vojtěch Svěrák and Petr Urban from the Center for Environmental and Technology Ethics, and Petr Vaškovic from the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Diverse lectures and perspectives
The four students attended lectures covering a spectrum of topics ranging from aesthetic to political environmental philosophy, led by accomplished lecturers including Professor Mark Coeckelbergh on Freedom in the Anthropocene, Professor Vincent Blok on Biomimetic Technology, and Professor Iwona Janicka on Transformative Practices for Habitable Worlds: Ecofeminism, Anarchism, Solarpunk.
The event featured speakers who offered insights into European perspectives on environmental issues and climate change. This was an important opportunity for UJ students to place themselves within the academic debate in Europe and to understand the unique perspective brought by their South African background, enriching discussions on philosophy, environmental studies, and contributions from the Global South. The organisers and participants highlighted the enriching impact of having representatives from the Global South at the event. It provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on how diverse backgrounds shape individuals’ perspectives on the environment and our interactions with it, as well as influencing the theoretical frameworks employed. With attendees hailing from countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Chile, Nigeria, and India, the presence of UJ’s Philosophy students provided a platform for meaningful exchange, fostering mutual learning and occasional scholarly debates.
Global Engagement
One highlight of the summer school was the chance to connect with like-minded individuals globally. M. Lombaard reflected, “I’ve never discussed Heidegger over breakfast before. Conversations ranged from jokes about our monastery, to Derrida, to the impact of individual ethics on climate change. It was inspiring and bonding to be with people passionate about philosophy and the environment; we all learned and considered changes to our research to better engage in the current debate.”
The theoretical part of the summer school was tied to the practical case of the Turów coal mine, Poland’s second-largest polluter, which produces only 5% of the country’s electricity. In 2021, the Czech Republic sued Poland over pollution damage, winning in the European Court of Justice but withdrawing in 2022 after a deal for water infrastructure. Local communities have seen no improvements, and the mine, initially set to be stopped, continues and may expand. Participants hiked along the Czech-Polish border, observing the mine on one side and windmills on the other, with a row of trees potentially planted to hide the mine’s environmental damage.
Seeing Turów’s devastation emphasised the importance of the students’ work in Animal and Environmental Ethics, focusing on rethinking human-nature relationships to be more ethical and just for both the environment and humanity.
