On 26th November we'll have the 1st edition of Banana Talks at ICS-ULisboa, at 11 am (Room 2 and online).

ABOUT [SHIFT] BANANA TALKS
A short, informal talk series for the SHIFT (Environment, Territory & Society Research Group of ICS-ULisboa) community and everyone interested: two to three talks, always with at least one PhD researcher or early-career voice. Held every two months –come for the research, stay for the conversation.

THIS EDITION'S SPEAKERS:

Liam Benison
Research fellow in the ERA Chair Imagination / ICS ULisboa
Toward a Method to Use UtopianKnowledgein the Cultivation ofImagination Literacy

How might we draw on the resources of the historical utopian imagination to inspire creative thinking about present-day sociopolitical challenges? Thomas More’sUtopiaof 1516 provoked a flowering of imaginative thinking about sociopolitical questions such as the impacts of the enclosures and how to make cities more healthy in times of plague. In this talk, I will present some examples of how imagination literacywas understood in the early modern age, and argue that a historical perspective is essential to using the utopian method to create a better future.
 

Andresa Lêdo Marques
Postdoctoral researcher at the Naturescapes project/ ICS ULisboa
Uncovering Invisible Waters: Stories, Memories and Futures of Lisbon’s Alcantara Valley

What if Lisbon’s hidden waters could help us imagine different urban futures? Through walks, artistic practices and community workshops, we explored the stories andmemories of the Alcântara Valley, bringing people together to imagine futures with more space for water, nature and people. This talk shares the journey, the encounters and the unexpected insights that emerged along the way.