12th Interdisciplinary Symposium: Nature/Culture
From November 12 to 14, 2025, the University of La Manouba (UMA) dedicated its 12th Interdisciplinary Symposium to a fundamental and urgent reflection: the Nature/Culture duo.
A Vibrant Laboratory of Ideas
For three days, the university campus and the Carthage Al Hadatha amphitheater were transformed into a vibrant laboratory of ideas, bringing together researchers, artists, academics, diplomats, and civil society actors for intense, inter-multi, and transdisciplinary exchanges. Various departments of the university participated in this event, including the Spanish and Italian language departments of the Flahm.
Redefining the Relationship between Humans and the Environment
The symposium was motivated by the need to redefine the complex and disrupted relationships between humans and their environment, in the face of crucial challenges posed by ecological urgency, globalization, and the era of artificial intelligence. The work was structured around five major axes designed to frame a rich debate across four themes.
Five Major Axes
- Plurality of Foundations of Nature/Culture Links: This theme invited an archaeology of concepts, questioning how the notions of Nature and Culture have been constructed, deconstructed, and rethought over time and across disciplines. Discussions focused on historical, social, and philosophical foundations, as well as the evolution of laws in experimental and "exact" sciences, even debating the different ontologies that result from them.
- Nature and Culture, Circulation of Knowledge and Sustainability: In the face of a changing world, this theme highlighted the imperative of thinking about the diversity of cultures and the circulation of local knowledge in a perspective of sustainability. It addressed the dynamics of transmission and global challenges, including interculturality, gender equity, pressure on natural resources, social justice, and governance with a view to sustainable management.
- Living, Nature, and Interdisciplinary Knowledge: This axis focused on life itself and the knowledge it generates, stimulating a fruitful dialogue between human sciences and exact sciences.
- New Cultures, Literary, Artistic, and Audiovisual Practices: This section explored how art, from literature to cinema, represents, questions, and modifies our perception of the Nature/Culture duo. A roundtable notably raised the crucial question: "What becomes of culture in the era of artificial intelligence and globalization?"
- Nature, Culture, and Ethical Challenges in Contemporary Societies: To conclude this meeting, a necessary reflection on the moral, ethical, and political responsibility that falls on actors in the face of the limits of freedom and environmental urgencies.
A Rich Program
The symposium offered much more than a series of academic conferences. The program proposed a wide range of roundtables, masterclasses, and cultural events that enriched the reflection. Attention was focused on "Nature/Culture in Tunisian Cinema" with cross-views on representations and imaginaries.
Notable Activities
Among the notable activities, there was the presentation of a digital and photographic exhibition by Basilio Rodríguez Cañada, photographer and president of the Spanish Association of Africanists. Additionally, the "Filming Nature" challenge allowed the projection of short films within the framework of the 2025 Awards, followed by a projection-debate around the Tunisian film "The Thirsty" by Ridha Tlili.
International Partnerships
The scope of the event was consolidated by international partnerships, notably with the embassies of Spain, Venezuela, Cuba, and Argentina in Tunisia, as well as with the Delegation of the European Union, highlighting the universal scope of the questions addressed. The 12th UMA symposium thus succeeded in creating an essential space for dialogue.
Success and Gratitude
The success of this 12th Interdisciplinary Symposium Nature/Culture rests on the commitment of several actors. The University of La Manouba wishes to express its deep gratitude to Mr. Ameur Cherif, President of the University, for his institutional support and vision that made this major event possible. Warm thanks are also addressed to Professor Samiha Khelifa, Coordinator of the symposium, whose energy and scientific rigor were decisive in structuring and animating the debates. Finally, recognition extends to the entire scientific committee, whose expertise and rigor guaranteed the high quality of the exchanges and works presented.
By Alfonso Campisi
