EXACTLY how connected humans are with seeds – the flora building blocks of new life?
This is just one of the big issues Tom Bristow will be investigating after winning an internationally coveted fellowship to continue his research into the ways in which humans relate with nature.
Dr Bristow’s project caught the attention of the Australian National University’s Humanities Research Centre, where he was awarded the fellowship to continue his research. His work compares environmental human cultural studies alongside innovations in the digital humanities.
Dr Bristow, from UNE’s school of arts, said seeds could reveal a little more of the answer to that age old question, what does it mean to be human?
“This is one of two projects I’m hoping to develop within our school’s Posthuman Research Cluster, which considers ways of decentering and deconstructing our sense of what is human,” he said.
“We can look back in time to consider how humans previously related to seeds by critically evaluating historical manuscript records, which will possibly give us some clues about our future seed relationships in the digital age.”
Dr Bristow will also investigate how seeds have been recorded and represented in our literary and film archives, as well as considering the postcolonial and climate change contexts.
“Seeds have always been vital to Australia’s natural diversity, and part of my work will be looking at our seed banks compared to other countries to make sure we can be confident of protecting and preserving both our unique flora record along with the potential to save endangered varieties.”
