An ethnography of social-ecological modelling: situating materiality, difference and complexity

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jörg Niewöhner
• Subject Area: Social and Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 497511081

The Anthropocene is marked by rapid planetary social-ecological change. The dominant way of knowing these volatile dynamics of human-environment relations and systems are computer models and simulations. Increasingly, these models address not only biophysical and geochemical dynamics of the earth system, but also attempt to capture social processes and their interactions with material environments. As these models are performative and contribute significantly to the way human-environment relations are problematised and governed, understanding current forms of modelling is a vital challenge for anthropology and the social sciences at large. The main objective of this proposed project is thus to better understand how computer modelling and simulating construct materiality, difference and complexity in human-environment relations. This understanding enables us to critically reflect the specific reductions apparent in modelling practices; to reflect anthropological attempts to grapple with very similar issues; and to engage in a co-laborative process with modellers to develop more situated modes of modelling that are better suited to accommodate anthropological expertise into ways of knowing human-environment relations.The project rests on seven years of research and experience of working with modellers in an integrative research institute focused on understanding the transformations of human-environment systems as well as preliminary fieldwork and interviews for this specific work programme. We propose an ethnographic approach in a comparative design. Intensive participant observation, interviews, model walk-throughs and media diaries will be employed in three research groups (Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana) that are well known for their work and significantly different in their approaches.We aim to analyse the specific historical and practical contingencies of modelling practices. We want to understand how they enact human-environment relations, forms of differences and complexity, and we will work with members from the three groups to develop the framework of situated modelling as a form of modelling that recognises the importance of careful analytical generalisation when addressing human-environment relations.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Ghana, Sweden
• Co-Investigators: Dr. Jonathan Friedemann Donges; Dr. Jobst Heitzig; Professor Dr. Hermann Lotze-Campen
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Adelinah Maria Mensah; Professorin Dr. Maja Schlüter