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*Thinking with an Indian Ocean Archipelago* *Lindsay Bremner (University of Westminster)* Monday 19 October, 5-6.30pm UCL Department of Anthropology: Material & Visual Culture Seminar Series Darryl Forde Seminar Room (2nd Floor), 14 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0PY. Followed by refreshments Abstract: Since the 1970's, the archipelago has been used by a number of architectural theorists as a metaphoric trope for portraying architecture's autonomy from the urban conditions that surround it. This is based on a binary conception of the relation between land and sea that is arguably Eurocentric, or at least Mediterranean: of solid, stable, rocky outcrops pitted against the dynamic forces of the sea. This presentation will undertake a critique of this from an Indian Ocean perspective by thinking with one of its central island formations, the Maldives archipelago. Because it is a territory whose area is comprised 99.66% of water, it provides an apt place to reconsider or even overturn the idea of the world as human and terra-centric and to reconsider what it means to live on a terraqueous globe. The presentation will lay out a new epistemology of the archipelago as a hybrid assemblage of dynamic socio-ecological relations. This will serve as a template for thinking about a world characterised by radical fluidity, uncertainty and flux and lay out an alternative role for design within it. Bio: Lindsay Bremner is an architect and scholar who has published, lectured and exhibited widely on the transformation of Johannesburg after apartheid. She is currently engaged in two research projects: 'Folded Ocean', investigating the organisational and spatial logics of the Indian Ocean world and 'Geoarchitecture', research into intersections between architecture, geology and politics. She is Director of Architectural Research and teaches design at the University of Westminster. https://geoarchitecture.wordpress.com/ http://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology/news-and-events/seminar-series/material-visual-digital-culture-research-seminar-series -- Constance Smith PhD candidate Dept of Anthropology University College London 14 Taviton St London WC1H 0BW ************************************************************* * Anthropology-Matters Mailing List * http://www.anthropologymatters.com * * A postgraduate project comprising online journal, * * online discussions, teaching and research resources * * and international contacts directory. * * To join this list or to look at the archived previous * * messages visit: * * http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/Anthropology-Matters.HTML * * If you have ALREADY subscribed: to send a message to all * * those currently subscribed to the list,just send mail to: * * [log in to unmask] * * * * Enjoyed the mailing list? Why not join the new * * CONTACTS SECTION @ www.anthropologymatters.com * * an international directory of anthropology researchers * * To unsubscribe: please log on to jiscmail.ac.uk, and * * go to the 'Subscriber's corner' page. * * ***************************************************************