The Return to Nature and Culture: Tim Ingold
THE COLLEGIUM HELVETICUM LECTURE RECAP
On February 26, 2026, the Collegium Helveticum, Swiss Institute for Advanced Study, welcomed renowned social anthropologist Tim Ingold for a thought-provoking lecture conceived and organized by Hanna Hölling as part of her fellowship project Caring for Naturecultures. The event also formed part of the Natureculture Lab initiative.
In his lecture, Tim Ingold called for a renewed humanism centered on the flourishing of life rather than the pursuit of progress. Reflecting on today’s intertwined ecological and social crises, he examined how the Enlightenment ideal of progress has shaped humanity’s relationship with the living world, bringing significant technological advances while also contributing to growing environmental degradation and social inequality.
Rather than abandoning concepts such as nature, culture, or humanity, Ingold proposed recovering their earlier meanings. He described nature as the generative power of life and culture as the work of nurturing the conditions in which life can flourish. Emphasizing the unique responsibility that humans bear through language, he argued that recognizing and embracing this responsibility is essential for fostering more just and sustainable ways of living.
The lecture sparked a rich discussion on care, responsibility, and humanity’s place within the more-than-human world. A recording of the lecture is freely available here.
