<Message from GRO>
Darwin, Darwinism & Conservation in the Galapagos Islands – a talk by Dr Diego Quiroga
Join us as we explore how Darwin’s legendary and mythologised visit to the Galapagos affected the socio-ecosystems of the Islands, as well as the culture and intellectual traditions of Ecuador and Latin America. The lecture will highlight how the connection between Darwin and the Galapagos has had real, enduring and paradoxical effects in the Archipelago. This twentieth century construct of the Galapagos as the cradle of Darwin’s theory and insights triggers not on the definition of the Galapagos as a living natural laboratory, but also the production of a series of conservation practices and the reshaping of the Galapagos as a tourism destination with an increasingly important flow of tourists that potentially threaten its fragile ecosystems. During the talk, it will be argued that the idea of a Darwinian living laboratory has been limited by the success of the very same constructs that promote its conservation. The talk will suggest critical interpretations of this paradox by questioning many of the dichotomies that have been created to understand nature and its conservation. The lecture will explore some possible ways in which Darwin’s ideas can be used to better understand the social and natural threats facing the Islands and to develop sustainable and successful management practices.
About speaker
Diego has led research and international programs at Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ for over 10 years. His efforts and vision have ranked USFQ as the No. 1 University for Internationalization in the Latin America Region (Times Higher Education). Currently, he is Vice President of Research and International Programs as well as Co-director of the Galapagos Academic Institute of Arts and Sciences (GAIAS).
He obtained his Ph.D. degree in Anthropology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His areas of research interest are Human Ecology, Political Ecology, Medical Anthropology in regions such as Galapagos, Amazon and the Andes. Diego has done research on topics that range from Biodiversity vulnerability to religion and traditional medicine.
He is a firm believer that universities should be part of the innovation ecosystem and be connected in order to help shape policy and support to the private sector. His working culture is also based in Liberal Arts which is why he promotes multidisciplinary teams work together, each contributing with their expertise in research opportunities.
Interested participants can sign up for this event here: https://myaces.nus.edu.sg:443/CoE/ViewEvent?actionParam=VIEWEVENT&eventID=94210