by Mikkel Bille, Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change, Roskilde University, Denmark

Light plays a fundamental role to human biology, aesthetics, and technological development. Yet as part of people’s social life it has drawn remarkably little attention in the social sciences. From a social perspective, natural and artificial light are phenomena that gain diverse cultural meanings and mediate values, most often at the margins of attention. But what constitutes “good lighting” may differ from culture to culture, or even between experts and users. This conference brings together scholars, artists and designers to present and discuss the social role and cultural appreciation and orchestration of light, shadows and darkness in the creation of atmospheres. Focus is on the three themes of cultural aesthetics, new technologies and climate policies to deal with the central question: how is social life shaped through light?

Keynotes:

– Professor Sarah Pink (RMIT)
– Professor Tim Ingold (University of Aberdeen) via Skype
– Reader Tim Edensor (Manchester Metropolitan University)
– Reader Don Slater (London School of Economics)

It will be held at Roskilde University, Building 02, from 8 to 9th April, 2015. Deadline for conference participation (free, no lunch included) is March 22nd, 2015. Send mail to mikkelbille@ruc.dk.

You can read more at the conference page here.