ROCS Postdoc tackles climate change through literature and art

Auður Aðalsteinsdóttir has recently unveiled her latest book titled Hamfarir í bókmenntum og listum ("Natural Catastrophes in Literature and the Arts"), a product of her position as postdoctoral researcher at ROCS. Her book delves into the intricate ways in which Icelandic literature and visual art express and grapple with traumatic reactions to climate change and other ecological crises.

Drawing from a decade of scholarly articles and research conducted during her tenure at ROCS, Auður Aðalsteinsdóttir offers a comprehensive exploration of how contemporary artists and writers are increasingly aware of environmental challenges. The book sheds light on the growing recognition of the interconnectedness of all elements within our ecosystems, both human and non-human.

Interplay between nature and culture

The book cover poignantly states "Earth's nature and climate have already started to transform because of global warming, mass extinction, and other related environmental crises. This book discusses how a growing awareness of these environmental crises and the interdependence of all aspects of our ecosystems, human and non-human, appears in contemporary literature and art."

"Huldurit," the book series of which Auður's work is the inaugural volume, aims to explore the dynamic interplay between nature and culture as expressed in contemporary literature and arts. This series is co-edited by Auður Aðalsteinsdóttir, along with literary scholars Ásta Kristín Benediktsdóttir and Viðar Hreinsson. It marks a significant step in acknowledging and understanding the cultural dimensions of environmental issues.

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