Amor Mundi

We seek to facilitate an ongoing research & teaching connection between Western University’s Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism and Radboud University’s Center for Contemporary European Philosophy (CCEP). These two centres are among the most long-standing and renowned research centres devoted to the fields of contemporary theoretical and philosophical inquiry. Our specific collaboration builds on our shared interests in contemporary ecological theory and philosophy and seeks to develop the sense of what “amor mundi” (love of the world) means in a time of social and ecological crises (i.e., poly-crisis). The German-American philosopher Hannah Arendt considered “amor mundi” pivotal to the emotional and social bonds that bring humans together and connect us to the planet. We believe that the concept of “amor mundi” is crucial to conceive a transformation from political inaction and fragmentation toward action and community. Our reflections on this topic develop from our collective expertise as scholars of Hannah Arendt, phenomenology, affect theory, environmental humanities, and animal studies.