Gardens of Berlin: Transdisciplinary Ecology situates questions of planetary change through the study of Berlin as a diverse and complex ecosystem, focusing on several urban gardens. Asking “what can a garden be?” we will study relations between the many human and nonhuman communities that compose each garden. The course proposes ecological thinking as a frame for engagement with the multiple disciplines that inform the field of ecology ranging from environmental and economic, to social and political, artistic and spiritual. As a digital course, sites will be introduced through virtual tours created in collaboration with local organisers from each of the projects, elaborating on their approaches and practices. A range of materials will contextualise each project, offered in various media from text to audio and video. In-person site visits or excursions may be included as the situation allows. Students will be supported with resources and prompts to work autonomously and collaboratively. Students will be asked to conclude the course by designing a speculative garden. The course embraces the wide range of cultural and academic backgrounds that students bring to the class, emphasising multidisciplinary creative thinking and critical reflection. There is no requirement for students to have previous familiarity with the subject, only a willingness to engage.
- Course owner: Shelley Etkin