What is the Anthropocene and why does it matter? What does it mean to say that humans, or industrial society at least, have become a force of planetary change or, indeed, that we are entering a period of unparalleled change, risk and uncertainty? How should we think, talk about and respond, both within and outside academia and its various disciplines, to the world’s cascading and interconnected planetary crises?
Based on excerpts from a lecture and field trips that form part of a module taught by environmental anthropologist Dr Miguel Alexiades, the film explores the provocation that the Anthropocene not only heralds a new geological epoch, but a new epoch of thought.
The short video uses footage recorded by Anthropolgy and Conservation students as part of their Visual Anthropology Video Project course: Emily Malkin’s project on activism, ‘Respect Existence or Expect Resistance’; and Liam Hodgett’s project ‘The Anthropocene Module’. It also documents student experiences with Herne Bay beach clean, Canterbury City Council Foreshore Services, Southern Water and Canterbury Waste Water Treatment Works.
The student films, along with many others, were presented at Transparencies in 2018, as part of an annual screening and prize-giving of student visual anthropology projects.
Camera and cinematography: Dr Mike Poltorak, Liam Hodgetts, Emily Malkin, Jasper Gilardi. The film was edited by Luke McComas and directed by Dr Mike Poltorak.
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