Somaesthetics is a new interdisciplinary field of research dedicated to the study and cultivation of the soma (the living, sentient, purposive body) as our medium of sensory perception (aesthesis) and action, and also the site of our expressive self-stylization. Concerned not only with understanding but improving our experience and performance through heightened, more perceptive somatic awareness, somaesthetics involves both theory and practice. After providing an introductory sketch of the somaesthetic project by outlining its aims, genealogy, and structure, the lecture will then focus on the application of somaesthetics to the field of design in our age of digital products that some see as threatening to make the human body obsolete along with our shared sense of humanity.

The talk is followed by drinks in AIAS Hall. 

Registration

The talk is open to the public, register by 13th August. Sign up here.

Find more information on the event here: https://cc.au.dk/en/news-and-events/events/event/artikel/professor-richard-shusterman-somaesthetics-and-design-for-humanity-in-crisis

The talk is organized in conjunction with the Two-day workshop on Somaesthetics and Design organized by Professor Richard Shusterman, Florida Atlantic University; Dag Svanes, NTNU; and Minna Pakanen, Aarhus University. It is supported by it-vest networking universities, and serves as one of two pre-events to the Aarhus 2025 Decennial conference (https://aarhus2025.org/). 

Contact

Lone Koefoed Hansen, AIAS Associate Fellow, koefoed@cavi.au.dk