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Journal of Research and Didactics in Geography (J-READING), 2, 4, Dec., 2015, pp. 105-113 DOI: 10.4458/6063-10 International Year of Global Understanding. An Interview with Benno Werlen Benno Werlena a Executive Director of the International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) Email: [email protected] Received: October 2015 – Accepted: November 2015 Abstract The interview with Benno Werlen, Executive Director of the International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU), was conducted by the Italian Association of Geography Teachers (AIIG), focussing this initiative of the International Geographical Union (IGU) and highlighting relevant aspects from the educational and didactical point of view. The initiative recognizes that global social and climate changes require a global level of understanding. It aims to bridge the gap in awareness between local actions and global effects and it will provide information on culturally differentiated ways to reach global sustainability. The International Year of Global Understanding develops a blueprint for a new geographical view of a radically changing world. It is relating to global warming and sustainability debates, disparities of power, sustainable production and consumption of “less developed countries”. Keywords: Global Warming Debate, Globalization Process, Inequality-Poverty-Struggle, Problem Solving Strategies, Sustainability Debate As stated in the press release “the essentially geographic ones. The whole global involvement of the ISSC, ICSU and CIPSH in warming debate, the sustainability debate, the IYGU underwrites broad collaboration across global integration process etc., all these debates the natural and social sciences and the are in fact about interactions with nature – I humanities, from across disciplinary boundaries would prefer the formulation, the transformation and from all around the world”. Considering of nature by human action. All these issues are that IYGU project has been initiated and action-related geographical topics, asking for promoted by IGU, which is the role of alternative ways of geography-making on the Geography in such a collaboration? everyday level. Let me first give a short overview of the The potential of geography to have geographical approach behind this initiative and something to say about the key questions of the how I see geography’s role in the current global situation is tremendous, especially as a developments. I would say we now have many critical science suggesting new solutions for new topics on the global politics agenda that are problems emerging from the tremendous Copyright© Nuova Cultura Italian Association of Geography Teachers 106 Benno Werlen changes in the geographical conditions by the geographical investigations into living spaces ongoing process of digitalization and subsequent and into the evolution and differentiation of globalization. However, at the same time, the varied life forms. Both disciplinary perspectives institutional set-up of geography is rather weak. are embedded in the practical and theoretical I believe we have three sections of geography European problem situations of their time. Both that are diverting from one another due to an scientific projects – one about life in general the accelerated specialization. In this situation, the other about human life on our planet – were centrifugal forces become the dominant ones. linked to the social and spatial formations that we Departments are increasingly splitting into units currently regard as historical. Given the current with only loose cooperation. I would say that problem constellations, we need to rethink these there has been a growth in competence over the concepts. The interim transformation of the last thirty years, but simultaneously there is also spatial, as well as natural relations is based on the a marked increase in specialization and globalization process. This process is so radical separation. There has not been much growth in that we can’t go on trying to solve ecological competence regarding integrated views of problems of the 21 century with problem solving different realities of life and their scientific strategies deriving from theories designed for investigation. problems of the 19th century. If you contemplate the outlook for geography I therefore regard the IGU Initiative for an in the current political situation, I think that the “International Year of Global Understanding” split into divisions is problematic or at least (IYGU) as a bridge builder under new, globalized deplorable. Geography’s strength used to be to conditions and beyond the imperialistic and racist focus on the interconnections between the human evil spirits of the past, also for geography. It and physical parts and geographical methods. I should help bring the social and natural sciences am not saying that these interconnections were and the humanities together to jointly work on based on scientifically acceptable methodologies. this because it is a very important matter to raise From that point of view, the ongoing awareness or understanding of the global specialization even has its merits. But we don’t embeddedness of everybody’s life, physically, need to throw the baby out with the bath water! socially and culturally. It is a new potential for We should regard our position as that of a cross- geography but also a new potential for science faculty discipline. In addition geography has a itself in a highly politicized field of action. This high potential for transdisciplinary competence. view is confirmed by IYGU as a geographical This is documented by the fact that geography is project having – as you stated it in your question simultaneously a member of the International – engaged the three major scientific global Social Science Council and of the International umbrella organizations – the natural sciences Council for (Natural) Sciences for many many (ICSU), the social sciences (ISSC), as well as years, and now thanks to IYGU, since early philosophy and the humanities (CIPSH) – for the December 2015 it is also a member of the first time in history. International Council for Philosophy and Human The potential of geography would be Sciences (CIPSH). This is a quite unique position tremendous if we had a more adapted that no other discipline has reached so far. This geographical view of the way people live in the opens the possibility to work on integrated world today. This specifically includes the approaches in new ways. Finding new forms and elaboration of new geographical imaginations new ways of integration could be a major for new, unprecedented geographical conditions. contribution to the scientific community. Geography has gained enormous potential From the origins of ecological research through economic geography having learned geography has played a key role in developing from Economics, social geography having theoretical frameworks and in empirical learned from Sociology, and physical geography investigation. The theoretical foundations of from the natural sciences. We shouldn’t turn ecological research and sustainability policies these gains in scientific competence into a were developed at the end of the nineteenth reason to split the discipline. We can and should century largely on the basis of biological and build on it to find new ways of integration Copyright© Nuova Cultura Italian Association of Geography Teachers Benno Werlen 107 without the old problems of reducing the IYGU aims to bridge the gap in the awareness meaningful to the biological (racism) or the between local actions and global effects and will material (vulgar geo-determinism), the develop a blueprint for a new geographical view reification and hierarchization of cultures (impe- of a radically changing world. rialism), etc. We should use this integrative Globalization has brought far-flung places and capacity of geography. Geography could – not in people into ever-closer contact. New kinds of a traditional way, but in new ways – be a solid supra-national communities are emerging at an bridge builder. I hope that this can become accelerating pace. At the same time, these trends geography’s true and strongest potential. I do not efface the local. On the contrary, believe this is worth working for. globalization is also associated with a marked re- IYGU project has three main pillars: affirmation of cities and regions as distinctive research projects, educational programmes and forums of human action. The IYGU’s over- information campaigns. J-Reading born as a arching objective is to develop a blueprint for a scientific journal to promote research project in new geographical view of the world that is fully geographical education field. Can be the 2016 a open to these realities. It seeks to work creatively key year to plan, imagine and create new way to with their inner tensions and potentialities in the teach Geography in the future? If yes, how? search for widened horizons of peace, democracy, environmental sustainability, and conviviality in Today, we need a global perspective for the modern world. geographical imaginations. “Global understand- ding” becomes a new human condition, for the The principal method to achieve these goals field of sustainability as well as for most parts of is to work toward a new map of the world. In the the political agenda. We need to think about sense of an imaginative cartography, this will global sustainability as well as transnational, literally reveal the many forms of inter- global political perspectives. dependence and conflict in the new