Spotlight April 2023
(Re)Conceptualizing Climate Justice:
The importance of place, scale, and social relations
by Denise Fernandes,
PhD Student, Department of Environmental Studies, CU «Ƶ
As CAS prepares for its annual Asia Symposium, we feature here a Brief by roundtable panelist Denise Fernandes, PhD student in Environmental Studies at CU. Denise explores an Indian perspective on climate justice and demonstrates here why an area studies approach remains crucial for understanding the issues that we’ll be engaging with in the symposium: how legacies of empire, movements toward justice, and environmental challenges are shaping contemporary Asian societies.
I write this brief as the till date; tornadoes have ripped through the ; the island nation of Vanuatu has secured a ; the released another dire warning on climate change; climate scientists have faced for protesting more climate action; and globally states and private companies continue to , and . As these events simultaneously unfold around me, my mind is constantly wrestling with the idea of climate justice. What does it mean? Who has agency over it? Who controls the narratives? How is it theorized at different governance and policy scales? Why is it such a contested concept? Over the past twelve years, with my work in policy and academic circles and along with historically disenfranchised communities who are deeply impacted by extreme weather events, I have come to realize that climate justice is not a very simple concept. It is deeply contested at different scales of governance where international climate negotiators, politicians, economists, scientists etc. articulate climate justice very differently in comparison to tribal communities, subsistence farmers, and/or historically disenfranchised/marginalized groups. This constant struggle with the term is what makes it extremely difficult to operationalize “just climate transition policies”.
Read the full brief here
The Asia Symposium 2023:
Environment, Empire, Social Justice
Friday, April 21, 10:30am - 5pm
CASE Building E422
This year’s Asia Symposium will explore two fundamental contemporary legacies of imperialism and colonialism in Asia: indigeneity and environmental justice. Noting that empire has been a crucial factor in shaping the trajectories of past and present Asian societies, this year’s symposium seeks to draw connections between past and present, between activism and scholarship, and between Asia and the US. The Asia Symposium will feature two roundtables featuring both early-career and more established scholars from the Colorado Front Range region, and a keynote by Professor Sunil Amrath. Please join us for this special day of discussion and reflection on the linkages between empire and changing Asian environments, social movements, and indigenous politics.
Ambassador Ted Osius comes to CAS for a talk and book signing
In early February, former Ambassador Ted Osius (fourth from the left above) came to CU «Ƶ to give a talk based on his new book Nothing Is Impossible, America’s Reconciliation with Vietnam. The evening was punctuated with wit and insight into the evolution of the US-Vietnam relationship in the years since re-establishing diplomatic relations. After the talk there was a long line waiting for him to sign copies of his book. CAS was thrilled to host him.
CU «Ƶ Tibetan Losar 2023 Celebration— A Big Hit
On February 24th, 2023, the «Ƶ ushered in the new Tibetan year of the Water Hare with Losar celebrations. Losar (ལོ་གསར་) meaning New Year in Tibetan is celebrated widely across the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, India, and Bhutan. Taking place on CU «Ƶ campus for the second time, this year’s Losar cultural program was jointly organized by the Center for Asian Studies (CAS), the Tibet Himalaya Initiative, Department of Anthropology, and the Anderson Language and Technology Center.
The event started with the serving of the ceremonial sweet rice (dresi) – an auspicious food symbolizing prosperity and good fortune— Tibetan butter tea, chai, and Tibetan Losar cookies (khabsey). The khabsey was prepared by the CU Tibetan students with the support and sponsorship of the local «Ƶ-based Tibetan-owned Cafe, Little Lama Cafe located at Naropa University.
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