On 12 October 2024, EHESS (Paris), Heidelberg University, and Kyoto University held a joint seminar titled “Mediating Plurality of Aging” at Kyoto University’s Rakuyu Kaikan. This seminar followed an event in Paris in February 2024, which marked the beginning of a trilateral project.
Aging is a universal human experience that can be approached from numerous perspectives. This seminar focused on the concept of “mediation” to connect these diverse perspectives on a single phenomenon, “aging”. Eleven researchers from various fields, including philosophy, history, sociology, economics, and medicine, shared their expertise and engaged in interdisciplinary dialogue to explore the multifaceted nature of aging.
A key component of this trilateral project is the support of young researchers. Seven doctoral students from all partner universities participated in the seminar. Upon registration, they already shared their research with one another. Prior to the event, they convened at Kyoto University’s Seifu-so to discuss their work. The students were paired, and on the day of the seminar, they presented the research of his/her partner. It was an experiment to go beyond his/her own expertise and experience interdisciplinary. On-site excursions to visit areas to care elderly populations living on the streets and to visit care homes provided firsthand insights into the challenges faced by these individuals.
Although the seminar was limited to university staff, it was a resounding success, with approximately 40 participants. Kyoto University European Center played a pivotal role in “mediating” collaboration between the three universities and organizing the event.
The next seminar is scheduled to take place at Heidelberg University in July 2025.
Ph.D. student group in front of Seifu-so | “Mediating Plurality of Aging” participants 2024 |
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