Mehring’s approach, detailed in his article "Sustainable American Studies: Intermedial Approaches to Climate Change," emphasizes the necessity of bringing the realities of global warming and potential solutions into the public sphere. He advocates for an understanding of climate change that intersects with the arts, literature, religion, philosophy, and ethics/justice, recognizing the critical role these humanistic dimensions play in shaping our response to environmental crises.
Central to Mehring’s framework is a concept he calls TOPO, which builds on the the idea of "grounding transnational American studies" in the RUDESA spring academy – a collaboration between American Studies programs at Radboud and the University of Duisburg-Essen. This concept underscores the importance of connecting global climate issues with local contexts, particularly within educational settings. Mehring argues that it is essential to create links between global concerns and the specific locations where education and engagement occur—in this case, the city of Nijmegen and the Radboud campus.
Mehring’s work challenges us to rethink how we approach climate change education, urging us to leverage the humanities to foster a deeper, more impactful understanding of sustainability. By integrating global perspectives with local actions, we can better equip our students to engage with and address the pressing environmental challenges of our time - beginning in Nijmegen and on our campus.
The American Studies program will discuss the importance of “locating American Studies” in a symposium on Sep. 20, 2024. More information to follow.
