Socio-environmental dynamics over the last 12.000 years

Abstract

The concept of the Open Workshop “Socio-Environmental Dynamics over the Last 12,000 Years: The Creation of Landscapes III” results from the scientific work of the Graduate School “Human Development in Landscapes”. As a basis, this work is founded on the interdisciplinary research of scholars in natural, life, cultural and social sciences and is concerned with the formation of prehistoric and historic societies. For the third time, the meanwhile biannual event will take place at CAU Kiel. It is our understanding that social space and natural environment amplify the concept of landscape: different layers of human activities are visible in societal fingerprints on the environment. Global tendencies, regional developments, and local episodes interact in processes of human and environmental change. The development of social space is linked to ideological systems used by societies for economic reasons or ritual purposes. Thus, the study of landscapes does not only concern environmental, demographic, and social aspects but also ideological changes. A transdisciplinary effort of scientists and scholars is necessary to achieve a better understanding of societies beyond landscapes. The sessions represent the dynamics and perceptions of social landscapes for different time periods and different environments. Furthermore, there are sessions that deal with methodological and theoretical progress concerning new investigation technologies, modeling and the dynamics within special fields of interest.