Praxis of Social Imaginaries, Winter Session 2024-Oulu, Finland

The Praxis of Social Imaginaries. Cosmologies: Othering and Liminality (Circle 3)

Praxis of Social Imaginaries, Winter Session 2024

Location: Oulu, Finland

The Praxis of Social Imaginaries. Cosmologies: Othering and Liminality (Circle 3) Winter Session of the Nordic Summer University (NSU) met in Oulu, Finland. The research team was the guest of the Oulu Museum of Art. It was a wonderful location to study the Muqaddimah by Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406). Ibn Khaldun’s writings have been thought to have served as an introduction to history and critical thinking for a number of centuries. He is also thought to be the father of sociology.

Dr. Drury and Dr. Hellsten, the circle co-facilitators, helped to lead the circle participants further and further into the writings of the Muqaddimah, sharing in reading sessions by reading thematically from keynotes, and guidance for engaging the writings in pairs all while participating in mindful movements in further efforts for deeper understandings of the text.

The communal aspect of teamwork was carried into leisure activities for the evening which included cooking teams for each evening dinner. Delicious dishes were prepared for everyone at days end which included curry dishes prepared with recipes from Bangladesh, Peruvian cuisine, and a Croation pasta dish!

Circle 3 is initiated by theologian and dancer Dr. Laura Hellsten and performance historian Dr. Lindsey Drury within the Nordic Summer University (NSU)