As we reach the end of our conversation Shane Epting and I spoke about the role that the discipline of philosophy should have in examining the cities where many of us live. We also spoke about how scholars might better engage in public discourse.



Dr. Shane Epting is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He’s the Co-Director and co-founder of the Philosophy of the City Research Group. He’s contributed an impressive amount of scholarship on topics related to how to most equitably and effectively conceptualize cities (or municipalities), socially just community design and governance, and ethics and justice in general as they apply to built environments.



Links:




https://www.shaneepting.org/



https://sites.mst.edu/shaneepting/



https://daily-philosophy.com/interview-shane-epting-philosophy-of-cities/



https://www.potcrg.org/

During the second part of our conversation, Shane Epting told me more about how participatory budgeting and how he thinks it’s a useful tool that can be used by municipalities to better involve their citizenry in impactful decision making. He also told me about how thinking of municipalities as a sort of technology helps us think about our communities in better informed ways. Finally, Shane and I talked about how one might argue more lovingly, which strikes me as a particularly timely subject.



Dr. Shane Epting is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He’s the Co-Director and co-founder of the Philosophy of the City Research Group. He’s contributed an impressive amount of scholarship on topics related to how to most equitably and effectively conceptualize cities (or municipalities), socially just community design and governance, and ethics and justice in general as they apply to built environments.



Links:




https://www.shaneepting.org/



https://sites.mst.edu/shaneepting/



https://daily-philosophy.com/interview-shane-epting-philosophy-of-cities/



https://www.potcrg.org/

A while back the order of Just Sustainability episodes got a bit disrupted and I skipped posting episodes 28B and 28C. Episodes 28B and 28C are now ready for posting but, since there’s been quite some time since I first posted episode 28A, I thought that I should re-post it so that folks can listen to all of Shane’s episodes together.



Dr. Shane Epting is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He’s the Co-Director and co-founder of the Philosophy of the City Research Group. He’s contributed an impressive amount of scholarship on topics related to how to most equitably and effectively conceptualize cities (or municipalities), socially just community design and governance, and ethics and justice in general as they apply to built environments.



Links:




https://www.shaneepting.org/



https://sites.mst.edu/shaneepting/



https://daily-philosophy.com/interview-shane-epting-philosophy-of-cities/



https://www.potcrg.org/

In this episode, climate and sustainability educator, Michelle Garvey tells me about how one might better engage in non-extractive scholarship.



Dr. Michelle Garvey is an Institute on the Environment Educator. She previously served as the Director of the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) as well as the Internship Coordinator for Minnesota Transform (MNT). She is a community organizer, a climate and sustainability educator, and a scholar who works to promote environmental justice.



Links:




https://environment.umn.edu/news/ej-stories-michelle-garvey-supports-changemaking/



https://environment.umn.edu/news/ione-educator-spotlight-dr-michelle-garvey/



https://minnesotatransform.com/about-us



https://mndaily.com/281407/campus-administration/umn-community-addresses-regional-environmental-injustice-through-new-assistance-center/



https://climategen.org/blog/climate-justice-education-from-the-capitol-to-the-classroom/



https://www.existentialtoolkit.com/

On this episode of Just Sustainability we return to Michelle Garvey who told me about how vulnerability and openness to learn are both deeply important for reforming the way we approach higher-education in order to make our institutions more accessible and better structured to serve our students.



Dr. Michelle Garvey is an Institute on the Environment Educator. She previously served as the Director of the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) as well as the Internship Coordinator for Minnesota Transform (MNT). She is a community organizer, a climate and sustainability educator, and a scholar who works to promote environmental justice.



Links:




https://environment.umn.edu/news/ej-stories-michelle-garvey-supports-changemaking/



https://environment.umn.edu/news/ione-educator-spotlight-dr-michelle-garvey/



https://minnesotatransform.com/about-us



https://mndaily.com/281407/campus-administration/umn-community-addresses-regional-environmental-injustice-through-new-assistance-center/



https://climategen.org/blog/climate-justice-education-from-the-capitol-to-the-classroom/



https://www.existentialtoolkit.com/

I’ve noted elsewhere that what I wanted to do when I started working on the Just Sustainability podcast was to be able to share some of the wonderfully edifying conversations that I find myself in proximity to. I’ve been lucky enough over the years to become friends with a number of folks who are brilliant scholars, organizers, and advocates. All those friends have contributed enormously to efforts to nudge our communities towards being more ecologically responsible and socially just and each instance of listening to them talk about their work is akin to attending a masterclass about building a better future. Michelle Garvey is one of those friends.



I first got to know Michelle about five years ago (the story of that meeting is included in the beginning of this episode so I won’t repeat it here) and, every time we chat, Michelle still gets me thinking about environmental justice and organizing to promote environmental justice in ways that I hadn’t previously. I’m pretty sure that Michelle is constantly reflecting on equity and sustainability and how to more effectively teach people in ways that helps build the solidarity, skills, and capacities necessary to more effectively work towards a healthier and more equitable society. Conversations with her are always thought provoking, refreshing, and joyful. So, without further preamble, I’m happy to introduce you to Michelle Garvey.



Dr. Michelle Garvey is an Institute on the Environment Educator. She previously served as the Director of the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) as well as the Internship Coordinator for Minnesota Transform (MNT). She is a community organizer, a climate and sustainability educator, and a scholar who works to promote environmental justice.



Links:




https://environment.umn.edu/news/ej-stories-michelle-garvey-supports-changemaking/



https://environment.umn.edu/news/ione-educator-spotlight-dr-michelle-garvey/



https://minnesotatransform.com/about-us



https://mndaily.com/281407/campus-administration/umn-community-addresses-regional-environmental-injustice-through-new-assistance-center/



https://climategen.org/blog/climate-justice-education-from-the-capitol-to-the-classroom/



https://www.existentialtoolkit.com/

Valentine Cadieux and I concluded our conversation by talking about art as a tool for more accessible discourse (which is a topic that was also explored in the conversation that I had with Marceleen Mosher). This led Valentine and I to reflect upon how institutions of higher education (and in particular four-year universities) might become better at engaging with communities and how extension programs offer a good model for such engagement.



Dr. Valentine Cadieux is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and the Director of the Center for Justice and Law at Hamline University. She studies collaborative knowledge practices related to food, agriculture, and land in the context of settler society cultures in Canada, the United States, and Aotearoa. 



Links:




https://www.hamline.edu/faculty-staff/valentine-cadieux



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eyKAvrY-os



https://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jpe/article/id/1921/



https://sites.google.com/hamline.edu/center-justice-law/center-for-justice-and-law



https://scalar.usc.edu/works/field-guides-to-food/index

In the second part of the conversation that I had with Valentine Cadieux we spoke about food justice, media literacy, and how art can serve as a mode of collective expression and reflection as a tool to drive positive change.



Dr. Valentine Cadieux is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and the Director of the Center for Justice and Law at Hamline University. She studies collaborative knowledge practices related to food, agriculture, and land in the context of settler society cultures in Canada, the United States, and Aotearoa. 



Links:




https://www.hamline.edu/faculty-staff/valentine-cadieux



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eyKAvrY-os



https://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jpe/article/id/1921/



https://sites.google.com/hamline.edu/center-justice-law/center-for-justice-and-law



https://scalar.usc.edu/works/field-guides-to-food/index

If someone were to ask me to describe my exemplar of a scholar and educator that does a terrific job integrating equity and sustainability, I would offer a description of Valentine Cadieux. Valentine is one of the most thoughtful folks that I know when it comes to the topics of environment, sustainability, justice, and how each and all of those things interact when it comes to how we understand and relate with the land and each other. Because of that she is one of my favorite people to nerd-out with about equity and sustainability and, so, I’m super excited to share the conversation that I recorded with her on the Just Sustainability Podcast!



Dr. Valentine Cadieux is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and the Director of the Center for Justice and Law at Hamline University. She studies collaborative knowledge practices related to food, agriculture, and land in the context of settler society cultures in Canada, the United States, and Aotearoa. 



Links:




https://www.hamline.edu/faculty-staff/valentine-cadieux



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eyKAvrY-os



https://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jpe/article/id/1921/



https://sites.google.com/hamline.edu/center-justice-law/center-for-justice-and-law



https://scalar.usc.edu/works/field-guides-to-food/index

In the conclusion of the conversation that I had with Marceleen Mosher, we discuss how different media has an impact upon how narratives are formed, which in turns shapes how as a society we understand various phenomena. Marceleen and I also also talk about the importance of robust conversation particularly in regards to good governance and collective action or decision making.



Marceleen Mosher has taught communication studies at Augsburg University and Hamline University and is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Her scholarship examines the interplay between rhetoric/narratives and the intersection of nature, wellbeing, technology, and power.



Links:




https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/moshe044



https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498534772/Eco-Culture-Disaster-Narrative-Discourse

In this episode we return to the conversation that I had with Marceleen Mosher. Marceleen and I talk about hope and the sorts of discourse that are effective in driving social action related to climate change and sustainability.



Marceleen Mosher has taught communication studies at Augsburg University and Hamline University and is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Her scholarship examines the interplay between rhetoric/narratives and the intersection of nature, wellbeing, technology, and power.



Links:




https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/moshe044



https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498534772/Eco-Culture-Disaster-Narrative-Discourse

We’re straying a bit from the planned episode order of the Just Sustainability podcast. Because we need to do some re-recording, the remainder of Shane Epting’s episodes are going to be posted at a later date. However, I’ve kept all of you waiting for too long. So, without further ado, it’s my pleasure to introduce you all to Marceleen Mosher.



Marceleen Mosher has taught communication studies at Augsburg University and Hamline University and is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Her scholarship examines the interplay between rhetoric/narratives and the intersection of nature, wellbeing, technology, and power.



Links:




https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/moshe044



https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498534772/Eco-Culture-Disaster-Narrative-Discourse

On this episode I’m delighted to introduce you to another one of my old friends, Shane Epting. In his first episode of the Just Sustainability Podcast, Shane offers us a primer about philosophy of the city — the field that (I would argue) he played a central role in forming (while of course philosophers have written about cities since at least the time Plato, Shane is one of the folks who did the most to shape the landscape of the discourse about cities within contemporary philosophy).



Dr. Shane Epting is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He’s the Co-Director and co-founder of the Philosophy of the City Research Group. He’s contributed an impressive amount of scholarship on topics related to how to most equitably and effectively conceptualize cities (or municipalities), socially just community design and governance, and ethics and justice in general as they apply to built environments.



Links:




https://www.shaneepting.org/



https://sites.mst.edu/shaneepting/



https://daily-philosophy.com/interview-shane-epting-philosophy-of-cities/



https://www.potcrg.org/

As our conversation came to a close, Jill Fellows told me about the ways that technology can empower and liberate as well as how we often talk about technology (particularly digital technology) can serve to hide the environmental and social impacts of various technologies.



Dr. Jennifer Jill Fellows teaches philosophy and is the Associate of Arts Coordinator at Douglas College. She also hosts two really terrific podcasts: “Andraste’s Gadfly” (which examines various philosophical topics as they apply to or manifest within the Dragon Age series of games) and “Gender, Sex, and Tech! Continuing the Conversation” (which is — as one might suspect from its name — about the interplay between gender, sex, and technology). And, she seems to be constantly on CBC Radio discussing super-fun topics like whether you’d make it onto Santa Claus’ nice or naughty list, our relationships with AI, and the history of feminized computers.



Links:




https://www.douglascollege.ca/



https://andrastesgadfly.opened.ca/



https://gendersextech.opened.ca/



https://canadianscholars.ca/book/gender-sex-and-tech/



https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/are-you-on-santa-s-nice-list-it-depends-on-his-moral-framework-1.5851562



https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/bots-like-chatgpt-aren-t-sentient-why-do-we-insist-on-making-them-seem-like-they-are-1.6761709



https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-harem-of-computers-the-history-of-the-feminized-machine/id151485663?i=1000584009084

In the this episode the conversation between Jill Fellows and I shifts topics. We move on from discussing podcasting and public scholarship to the content of Jill’s research: the interplay between gender and technology. Jill tells me about the digital divide and some of the ways that our biases are reflected in technology and how we think about technology.



Dr. Jennifer Jill Fellows teaches philosophy and is the Associate of Arts Coordinator at Douglas College. She also hosts two really terrific podcasts: “Andraste’s Gadfly” (which examines various philosophical topics as they apply to or manifest within the Dragon Age series of games) and “Gender, Sex, and Tech! Continuing the Conversation” (which is — as one might suspect from its name — about the interplay between gender, sex, and technology). And, she seems to be constantly on CBC Radio discussing super-fun topics like whether you’d make it onto Santa Claus’ nice or naughty list, our relationships with AI, and the history of feminized computers.



Links:




https://www.douglascollege.ca/



https://andrastesgadfly.opened.ca/



https://gendersextech.opened.ca/



https://canadianscholars.ca/book/gender-sex-and-tech/



https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/are-you-on-santa-s-nice-list-it-depends-on-his-moral-framework-1.5851562



https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/bots-like-chatgpt-aren-t-sentient-why-do-we-insist-on-making-them-seem-like-they-are-1.6761709



https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-harem-of-computers-the-history-of-the-feminized-machine/id151485663?i=1000584009084

In this episode we pick-up where we left off on the previous episode, with Jill Fellows telling me about how she identifies the guests that are featured in her podcast and how she has approached overcoming the various challenges related to integrating public scholarship into her academic career.



Dr. Jennifer Jill Fellows teaches philosophy and is the Associate of Arts Coordinator at Douglas College. She also hosts two really terrific podcasts: “Andraste’s Gadfly” (which examines various philosophical topics as they apply to or manifest within the Dragon Age series of games) and “Gender, Sex, and Tech! Continuing the Conversation” (which is — as one might suspect from its name — about the interplay between gender, sex, and technology). And, she seems to be constantly on CBC Radio discussing super-fun topics like whether you’d make it onto Santa Claus’ nice or naughty list, our relationships with AI, and the history of feminized computers.



Links:




https://www.douglascollege.ca/



https://andrastesgadfly.opened.ca/



https://gendersextech.opened.ca/



https://canadianscholars.ca/book/gender-sex-and-tech/



https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/are-you-on-santa-s-nice-list-it-depends-on-his-moral-framework-1.5851562



https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/bots-like-chatgpt-aren-t-sentient-why-do-we-insist-on-making-them-seem-like-they-are-1.6761709



https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-harem-of-computers-the-history-of-the-feminized-machine/id151485663?i=1000584009084

I’m really excited to share this episode because I get to introduce all of you to an old friend of mine who also happens to be my favorite public philosopher: Dr. Jennifer Jill Fellows. Jill teaches philosophy and is the Associate of Arts Coordinator at Douglas College. She also hosts two really terrific podcasts: “Andraste’s Gadfly” (which examines various philosophical topics as they apply to or manifest within the Dragon Age series of games) and “Gender, Sex, and Tech! Continuing the Conversation” (which is — as one might suspect from its name — about the interplay between gender, sex, and technology). And, she seems to be constantly on CBC Radio discussing super-fun topics like whether you’d make it onto Santa Claus’ nice or naughty list, our relationships with AI, and the history of feminized computers.



Because she’s such an active, effective, and accomplished podcaster and public scholar, I decided to start our conversation by asking her about her approach to podcasting and public scholarship.



Links:




* https://www.douglascollege.ca/



* https://andrastesgadfly.opened.ca/



* https://gendersextech.opened.ca/



* https://canadianscholars.ca/book/gender-sex-and-tech/



* https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/are-you-on-santa-s-nice-list-it-depends-on-his-moral-framework-1.5851562



* https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/bots-like-chatgpt-aren-t-sentient-why-do-we-insist-on-making-them-seem-like-they-are-1.6761709



* https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-harem-of-computers-the-history-of-the-feminized-machine/id151485663?i=1000584009084

This episode contains the second half of the conversation where liz Thomson interviewed me. In it, liz asks me to discuss what I’m most proud of or pleased about Just Sustainability, whether there are dream listeners or guests that I have for the show, and how my career arc has influenced how I approach this podcast.



Clement Loo is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and the Student Success Coordinator in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Intercultural Programs at the University of Minnesota Morris. In those roles I write, podcast, and teach classes about sustainability, climate ethics, and environmental/sustainability justice. I also coordinate the Gateway Program and co-coordinate the Sustainability Leadership minor (with Ed Brands) and the Intercultural Sustainability Leaders Program (with Troy Goodnough, Michelle Montgomery, and Paisley Sierra) at UMN Morris.



In addition to my work at UMN Morris I am also a member of the Faculty Leadership Council and an Educator at the Institute on the Environment, a member of the board of the Southwest Regional Sustainability Partnership, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.



Links:




* https://morris.umn.edu/directory/clement-loo



* https://thoughtaboutfood.podbean.com/e/clement-loo-on-just-sustainability-and-engaged-scholarship/



* https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/story/mn-bipoc-leaders-clean-energy-cultivate-umn-morris-students-passion



* https://morris.umn.edu/



* http://environment.umn.edu/about-us/



* https://extension.umn.edu/regional-partnerships/southwest



* https://www.aashe.org/

In this episode we decided to do something slightly different from what we usually do on the Just Sustainability Podcast. When we finished recording for their episodes at the end of last season, liz Thomson suggested that it might be fun for them to interview me for this podcast. I agreed that the idea did sound fun and thought a couple of episodes featuring me might be a good way to start season 4. Moreover, it seems only fair — after I’ve invited 25 of my friends to appear on this show, be remarkably vulnerable, and reveal a lot about themselves and their work — that I should also perhaps reveal a bit more about myself as well.



I usually provide a bit of a professional introduction of the guests on this podcast to contextual the conversations that I have with them. So, I will do the same for myself:



Clement Loo is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and the Student Success Coordinator in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Intercultural Programs at the University of Minnesota Morris. In those roles I write, podcast, and teach classes about sustainability, climate ethics, and environmental/sustainability justice. I also coordinate the Gateway Program and co-coordinate the Sustainability Leadership minor (with Ed Brands) and the Intercultural Sustainability Leaders Program (with Troy Goodnough, Michelle Montgomery, and Paisley Sierra) at UMN Morris.



In addition to my work at UMN Morris I am also a member of the Faculty Leadership Council and an Educator at the Institute on the Environment, a member of the board of the Southwest Regional Sustainability Partnership, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.



Links:




* https://morris.umn.edu/directory/clement-loo



* https://thoughtaboutfood.podbean.com/e/clement-loo-on-just-sustainability-and-engaged-scholarship/



* https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/story/mn-bipoc-leaders-clean-energy-cultivate-umn-morris-students-passion



* https://morris.umn.edu/



* http://environment.umn.edu/about-us/



* https://extension.umn.edu/regional-partnerships/southwest



* https://www.aashe.org/

In the second half of the conversation that I had with liz Thomson, we spoke built on our discussion about the relationship between equity and disability by talking about universal design principles and the creation of counter- and home-spaces as a framework for improving sense of belonging. liz and I finished our chat reflecting upon interdependence, mutual support, and community.



Elizabeth (liz) Anh Thomson, PhD is 5’2″, dark-skinned, disabled, Vietnamese adoptee, gender non-conforming person with shaved black hair, black eyes, and tortoise colored thick-rimmed glasses. They’re the Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Minnesota Morris. They’re a disability studies scholar that studies cultural centers and works to create counter and home spaces for students belonging to marginalized populations.



Links:




* https://students.morris.umn.edu/elizabeth-liz-anh-thomson



* https://students.morris.umn.edu/equity-diversity-intercultural-programs



* https://l-thomson773.medium.com/



* https://vimeo.com/625713356