Agroecology

Until the mid-1990s of the last century, agroecology was understood as the science of applying concepts derived from ecological research to the design and management of agroecosystems. At the beginning of the new millennium, this definition was expanded to include considerations of the entire food system. Thus a scientific definition emerged that went beyond pure natural science and became interdisciplinary. Questions of knowledge integration, education, smallholder agriculture and food sovereignty and circular economy were also emphasized more strongly. In agroecology, we consider the entire food system, including the economic framework, human-nature relations and ongoing discourses.

 

We cannot solve today’s multiple, converging and accelerating crises with uni-dimensional, linear, reductionist or mechanistic responses. We need, rather, to embrace a food systems approach with solutions that have multiple, converging and positively reinforcing outcomes that bring beneficial synergistic effects across multiple domains. Transformative agroecology, for example, is not only productive, resilient, adaptable and profitable, but also focuses on agency, democracy, equity, rights and ecological renewal.

New Publication

In the research field of Agroecology in our Working Group, Dr. Cornelia Steinhäuser and Prof. Dr. Tillmann Buttschardt have authored a fundamental contribution in a colaborative textbook of various perspectives on the practice of landscape ecology. In landscape ecology, the ecological aspects of land use and agricultural systems are often examined, while social and agricultural factors receive less attention. Historically, agriculture has contributed to increasing biodiversity, but modern developments in standardization and globalization have also caused problems such as species loss and environmental pollution. Today, there are various approaches to agriculture, with the challenge being to respect ecological boundaries, tackle social inequalities, and promote a climate-neutral economy. Transformative agroecology connects science, practices within the agri-food system, and social movements, aiming for diverse, local, and regenerative cultural landscapes. Our contribution examines how landscape ecology can support these processes.

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Conference Contested Rural Spaces

From September 16-21, 2024, the 31st Colloquium of the IGU Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems took place in Mendoza (Argentina) under the title “Contested Rural Spaces”. Dr. Cornelia Steinhäuser is a member of the Steering Committee of the IGU Commission and plays a key role in both the Organizing and Scientific Committee of the conference.

There will be four main topics, all related to the research lines of the WG Ecological Planning:
1) Regional productions/ecologies
2) Rural-urban disputes
3) Socio-environmental inequalities and environmental conflicts
4) Land ownership, tenure and planning

An outstanding feature of the conference is the fact that, in addition to the two conference days, a so-called field study will also take place, in which the topics of the conference will be explored in depth on site and in practice.

Further information on the conference can be found here.

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Agroecology as a relationship with the earth

Central concepts of agroecology are food sovereignty and territory. From the perspective of Latin American research, territorio describes the relationship of people and communities to the earth on which and with which one lives. It can thus be understood as a place and community of human and more-than-human beings. Bruno Latour speaks of a return to the terrestrial. Tim Ingold talks about sentient ecology.
But how can such a community be shaped?
Cornelia Steinhäuser, inspired and in exchange with artists, has been exploring this question in recent months and has held the following lectures and workshops:

Cornelia Steinhäuser, Mayra Citlalli Rojo Gómez: “Shifting boundaries: exploring approaches in a more-than-human world”, Lecture Series Interdependencies 2024, Geographisches Kolloquium, University of Münster, 7 - 8 May 2024

Cornelia Steinhäuser: “Harvesting Diversity: the cultivation of varied knowledges through farming and gardening in diverse communities”, ZIN Brotzeitkolloquium 2024 - Universität Münster, 18 April 2024

Cornelia Steinhäuser, Grashina Gabelmann and Henriette Aichinger: ExperiSpace ‘Collective creation of a digital Emotional Map’, IfL workshop #9, 20 – 21 March 2024, Leipzig

Cornelia Steinhäuser: „Agroecología, paisajes y el Antropoceno”, Conferencia internacional Crisis, Política y Resistencia en el Antropoceno, Weingartener Lateinamerikagespräche, 3-5 de noviembre de 2023

Cornellia Steinhäuser: „Von artistic research zu kreativen Methoden der Geographie“, Session „Künstlerisch-performative Zugänge zu Raum“, Deutscher Kongress für Geographie 2023, Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main, 19.-23. September 2023

For September 2024 she is co-organizing a coloquiuum on this topic in Mendoza, Argentina, with the title “Contested rural spaces / Territorios rurales en disputa”. For more information see our homepage.

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Agroecology, Landscapes and the Anthropocene

From the 3rd to the 5th of November the Weingarten Latin America Talks took place in Weingarten, South Germany. This interdisciplinary conference deals with current developments and issues in Latin America, from social (in)equality, decolonization, peace making, gender and climate justice to macro economic issues. The presentation and discussion of current theses and PhD`s by researchers from Latin America and Germany took place on the 2nd of November Dr’in Cornelia Steinhäuser was invited as a commentator on ongoing doctoral theses and as an expert in agroecology. Her lecture entitled “Agroecología, paisajes y el Antropoceno” addressed questions of community building in agroecological, biodiverse landscapes against background of the conceptual framework of the Anthropocene.

The conference took place as part of the knowledge laboratory “The Anthropocene as a Multiple Crisis” of the Center for InterAmerican Studies (CALAS).

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New publication

The report on the scientific perspective on the project "Ecosystem Künstlerdorf - Learning from Nature" has been published. It describes the challenges, opportunities and potentials of a socio-ecological transformation process of an art institution. And it explores for this case study, how permaculture, gardening and 'learning from nature' were used as inspiration with the aim to build a just and sustainable community.

Steinhäuser, Cornelia (2022). Begegnungen mit Mensch und Natur im Künstlerdorf Schöppingen: Socializing with people and nature at the Künstlerdorf. In Julia Haarman (Ed.), Ecosystem Künstlerdorf (pp. 21–41). Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen.

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• Projects

  How do young farmers look to the new CAP funding period - and beyond to their future?

  Ecosystem Künstlerdorf - Learning from Nature

  Understanding and valorising rural landscapes

   

• PhD theses

  ongoing:

  • Analyses of critical factors of conservation of native species in Agroforestry systems in temperate regions and the tropics (Ana Lucía Cadena González de Thiele)

  successfully completed:

  • Agroecology in the Anthropocene: case studies from Argentina, Germany and Italy (Dr. phil. Cornelia Steinhäuser)

   

• Publications

  • Steinhäuser, Cornelia (2022). Begegnungen mit Mensch und Natur im Künstlerdorf Schöppingen: Socializing with people and nature at the Künstlerdorf. In Julia Haarman (Ed.), Ecosystem Künstlerdorf (pp. 21–41). Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen.

  • de la Vega-Leinert, A. Cristina, Kieslinger, Julia, Jiménez-Moreno, Marcela & Steinhäuser, Cornelia (2021). Young People’s Visions for Life in the Countryside in Latin America. Geographical Review, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/00167428.2021.1925897
  • Steinhäuser, C., T. Gumbert (2020): Lokale Partizipation als normativer Treiber der Agrarwende: Ernährungsräte und Partizipative Garantiesysteme. In: Bohn, C., Fuchs, D., Gumbert, T., Hasenkamp, V., Heimbach-Steins, M., Kuhn, L., Salaske, S., Sarpong, L., Schrüfer, G., Schwarze, S., Siepker, L., & Steinhäuser, C. (Hrsg.)(2020): Partizipation als zentrales Thema interdisziplinärer Nachhaltigkeitsforschung. ZIN Diskussionspapiere, (01): 42-55. https://doi.org/10.17879/zin-2020-01
  • Steinhäuser, Cornelia (2019): Peasant farmers’ intangible values foster agroecological landscapes: case studies from Sierra Santa Victoria in northwest Argentina and the Ladin Dolomites, northern Italy, Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2019.1624285
  • Steinhäuser, Cornelia & Buttschardt, Tillmann K. (2019): Kulturelle Bezüge zu außerordentlichen und alltäglichen Landschaften. Zum Verständnis der Konzepte von KULTURLANDSCHAFT seitens deutscher und argentinischer Landbewirtschafter/innen. Diskurse – digital, Bd. 1 Nr. 3 (2019): Aktuelle Tendenzen der interdisziplinären Diskursforschung ISSN 2627-9304, Link
  • Steinhäuser, Cornelia & Buttschardt Tillmann K. (2019): Argentiniens ungleiche Diskurse zwischen nachhaltiger Entwicklung und buen vivir in der Enzyklika Laudato si‘. In: Marianne Heimbach-Steins und Sabine Schlacke (Hg.): Die Enzyklika Laudato si'. Ein interdisziplinärer Nachhaltigkeitsansatz? Baden-Baden: Nomos, 161–199
  • Steinhäuser, Cornelia & Buttschardt, Tillmann K. (2018): Vinculaciones materiales e inmateriales en el paisaje de una comunidad indígena en el noroeste de Argentina, in: Valerià Paül Carril, Rubén C. Lois González, Juan M. Trillo Santamaría, Fiona Haslam McKenzie (eds.): Infinite Rural Systems in a Finite Planet: Bridging Gaps towards Sustainability. Santiago de Compostela: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 342–349
  • Buttschardt, T.K., C. Steinhäuser (2015): Impulse der Enzyklika zum Umgang mit dem Boden. In: Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung (ZIN)(Hrsg): „Ganzheitliche Ökologie“ Diskussionsbeiträge zur Enzyklika Laudato si‘ von Papst Franziskus. ZIN Diskussionspapiere 1/2015: 40-48. Münster.  ISSN 2364-9895 Open Access Publikation
  • Wanner, M., J. Hamacher, E. Gerlach, T. Buttschardt, J. Rose, S. Simon, C. Niekamp, L. Hebling, N. Saul (2013): Peak Oil. Die Herausforderung lokaler Erdölabhängigkeit am Beispiel Münster. Wissenschaftliche Schriften der WWU Münster, Reihe XVII, Band 1
  • J.A. Schmidt & T.K. Buttschardt (2011): Addressing the information needs of small-scale rooibos farmers in rural South Africa can help to combat desertification and improve livelihoods. Zbl. Geol. Paläont. Teil I, 2009, 1/2, 39-52
  • Oberkircher, L. , Hornridge, A.-K. (2011): 'Water is Life'-Farmer Rationales and Water-Saving in Khorezm, Uzbekistan: A Lifeworld Analysis Rural Sociology 76 (3): 394-421. DOI: 10.1111/j.1549-0831.2011.00054.x
  • Oberkircher, L. , Shanafield, M. , Ismailova, B. , Saito, L. (2011): Ecosystem and Social Construction: an Interdisciplinary Case Study of the Shurkul Lake Landscape in Khorezm, Uzbekistan. Ecology and Society 16 (4) : 20
  • Oberkircher, L. (2010): Water Scarcity and the Lifeworld: The Challenge of Perceiving Creeping Disasters. Forum Geoökol. 21(2): 26-29.
  • Oberkircher, L., B. Tischbein, A.-K. Hornidge, G. Schorcht, A. Bhaduri, U. K. Awan, A. M. Manschadi  (2010): Rethinking Water Management in Khorezm, Uzbekistan - Concepts and Recommendations ZEF Working Paper Series No 54. Center for Development Research. Bonn

   

• Conferences

  • AC de la Vega-Leinert, C. Steinhäuser, J. Kieslinger & M. Jímenez Moreno (2019): Zukunftsvisionen Jugendlicher über das Leben auf dem Land - Perspektiven aus vier Fallstudien in Lateinamerika. Deutscher Kongress für Geographie, 25. -30. September 2019, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.
  • Steinhäuser, C. (2019): Estrategias de desarrollo rural de jóvenes agricultores en comunidades rurales de la Sierra Santa Victoria (Argentina), y Alta Badia (Italia)”, Session: „Old and new futures’ visions for rural youths in Latin America“, Conference “Visions of future(s) in the Americas” 12-14 June 2019, Universität Bonn
  • „Agroökologie als sozial-ökologischer Kontext von Landschaften", zusammen mit Tillmann K. Buttschardt bei der IALE-D Tagung 2018 „Landschaften im Wandel. Verstehen, planen und realisieren”, Leibnitz Universität Hannover, 5.-7. September 2018
  • „Vinculaciones materiales e inmateriales en el paisaje de una comunidad indígena en el noroeste de Argentina.” 26th Colloquium of the IGU Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems. “Infinite Rural Systems in a Finite Planet: Bridging Gaps towards Sustainability”, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 16th-21nd July 2018
  • „Agroökologie – Agroecología. Polarisierte Nachhaltigkeitsdiskurse des Globalen Nordens und Südens“, zusammen mit Tillmann K. Buttschardt bei dem 3. ZIN Brotzeitkolloquium an der WWU Münster, 19. April 2018
  • Steinhäuser, C. (2017): “La agrobiodiversidad, el uso comunitario de recursos, y el desarrollo cultural de un paisaje. Estudio de caso en Nazareno, Salta.” Jornada interdisciplinaria “Saberes locales y uso sostenible de la tierra en la agricultura familiar”, coordinada por el Instituto de Ecología del Paisaje, Universität Münster, y la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias Universidad Nacional de Jujuy (UNJu), en cooperación con el Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo para la Pequeña Agricultura Familiar (IPAF-NOA), Hornillos, Jujuy, ARGENTINA. 28 de marzo de 2017 Abstract
  • Steinhäuser, C. (2016): "Erhaltenswürdige Werte für ein 'gutes Leben' – Woran eine ländliche Gemeinde in den nordargentinischen Anden festhält". Jahrestagung 2016 des AK Ländlicher Raum der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geographie (DGfG) "Transformationen ländlicher Räume im Globalen Norden und Süden: Repräsentationen, Funktionen und Entwicklungspfade". 21. bis 22. Oktober 2016, Institut für Geographie der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Abstract
  • Steinhäuser C. (2016): “Cultural services of agroecosystems. Experiences in a rural village of the Argentinean Andes.” 24th Colloquium of the IGU Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems. ‘Sustainability of Rural Systems: Balancing Heritage and Innovation.’ 17th-22nd July 2016, Liège, Belgium Abstract
  • Steinhäuser, C. (2016): "Narrationen und Landschaftsbilder: Qualitative Analyse von Walking Interviews mit begleitenden Fotos“. Erstes Nachwuchssymposium des Tagungsnetzwerkes ,DISKURS – INTERDISZIPLINÄR‘ 5. und 6. Mai 2016 am Institut für Deutsche Sprache, Mannheim Abstract
  • Steinhäuser, C. (2016): "Percepción y puesta en valor de paisajes rurales desde una perspectiva intercultural.” Taller de tesis interdisciplinario para doctoranda/os. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales - Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Argentina, 11 – 13 de abril de 2016. Abstract

   

• Graduation theses

  please use this link