Valedictory Lecture by Prof. Huib Ernste at Radboud University

Invitation Valedictory Lecture

Prof. Huib Ernste

On Tuesday March 5, 2024, 16:30, I will present my Valedictory Lecture entitled:

Reflections on Academic Placemaking

The academic ceremony will take place in the Aula of Radboud University,
Comeniuslaan 2,
NL-6525HP Nijmegen,
the Netherlands.

You are kindly invited by the Rector to attend this academic ceremony, followed by a reception.

Registration
It is helpful for the organisation to know beforehand if you intend to take part, so please register before February 22, 2024, through www.ru.nl/rede/huibernste
You will receive a confirmation and additional information in the week of February 26.
Do not worry if you forgot to register before the deadline, you can still attend last minute, as we will keep some extra chairs and drinks available.

Accessibility
Accessibility and parking at the University Campus:
www.ru.nl/en/contact/getting-here

Farewell Symposium
Prior to this lecture, the Geography Group I have been chairing for the last 25 years organised a small Farewell Symposium for me on the topic I am currently researching and on issues that have always been very dear to me. I feel very honoured and very grateful to the Geography Group, for this fine gesture of ‘affection’.
You are kindly asked to register separately to attend the symposium by clicking here.

It is a Matter of Affect:
Social Theory and Geographical Thought

After 25 years of being the head of the Human Geography group at Radboud University, prof. Huib Ernste will be given professor emeritus status in 2024. He will spend the last months of his career in Zurich, where he will use his sabbatical at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ) and the University of Zurich to develop further a research programme on the affective turn in Geography. With his emphasis on social theory, academic debate, methods and societal impact – and together with so many colleagues of the Geography, Planning and Environment department – Prof. Huib Ernste contributed to the creation of a Geography department that is known for its critical and theory-driven approaches to questions of spatial practices, cities, borders and transnational relations.

In this context, this symposium serves a twofold purpose. On the one hand, it is seen as a moment to acknowledge the long-term presence of Prof. Huib Ernste in the field of Geography in – and beyond – the Netherlands. Hence, it is a matter of looking back. On the other hand, it is meant to look forward and discuss how different theoretical streams relate to the affective dimension of space, place and mobility. The affective dimension here refers to the “complexity of relationships”, the atmospheric, non-discursive and embodied aspects of spatial practices (Ernste 2023). However, affect is never created by a principal individualised actor. Following Sloterdijk, we could argue that in a [affective] sphere, we are never alone (see Ernste 2018).

This symposium is designed to critically think with the affective turn in Geography, and it is centred around a couple of questions:

What social theories (can) deal with affect and space (even if they are not associated with the affective turn?)
Why does affect matter? In other words, what are the critical and political elements of affect?
How can we work with affect and space, in terms of teaching and research methods?

Full Programme (13:00 – 17:30)

13:00 Opening Welcome Dr. Joris Schapendonk (Radboud University)