Interdisciplinary Workshop - The Art of Adaptation: Traditional Knowledge of Kut (Environmental Well-Being) and Jut (Environmental Ill-Being) in Climate Change Era

This interdisciplinary workshop seeks to unite diverse sources of knowledge—including traditional wisdom, cinema, literature, music, forum-theater, academic research, and technical sciences—to explore how cultural values can inform and guide the pursuit of climate change adaptation strategies. Current discussions on climate change adaptation and traditional ways of human interrelations with nature/environment in Central Asia often overlook the importance of traditional knowledge, favoring technical solutions instead. This oversight risks marginalizing the centuries-old wisdom accumulated by Central Asian pastoralists, whose deep understanding of their natural landscape is embedded in their cultural practices.

The workshop aims to address this gap by exploring the evolving concepts of Kut (environmental well-being) and Jut (environmental ill-being), which have long guided the cultural values tied to both living and non-living elements of the agro-pastoralist system. By examining these traditional concepts, we hope to better understand their relevance and potential in shaping sustainable adaptation pathways in the face of contemporary climate challenges. These workshops will be released through creative collaboration of various art forms and genres.