From April 23 to 30, 2025, the Cine Latino film festival brought powerful cinematic and political insights from Latin America to audiences in Tübingen, Stuttgart, Freiburg, and Reutlingen. This year’s program featured a special thematic focus titled “Indigenous Amazonia – Guardians of the Climate?”, which emphasized the voices, struggles, and worldviews of Indigenous peoples protecting the rainforest.

A key moment of the festival was the panel discussion held on Saturday, April 26 at Café Haag in Tübingen, where filmmakers and experts shared their experiences and perspectives on Indigenous worldviews and environmental justice. Participants included Eriberto Gualinga (Helena de Sarayaku), Stephanie Boyd and Miguel Aroz Cartagena (Karuara, la gente del río), and participatory filmmaker Maja Tillmann Salas (The Rights of Mother Earth). They discussed how Indigenous communities—who inhabit some of the most biodiverse areas of the Amazon—understand the forest and rivers not as resources, but as living beings with rights. The Kichwa community of Sarayaku in Ecuador, for instance, promotes the concept of Kawsak Sacha (Living Forest), demanding legal recognition of the forest as a subject of rights. Similarly, the Kukama people in Karuara view the river as a spiritual entity deserving protection. This tension is also visible in Kinra, directed by Marco Panatonic, where the protagonist navigates between urban alienation and Indigenous identity. These Indigenous cosmologies—such as the Andean concept of Buen Vivir (Sumaq Kawsay), where all beings are alive and interconnected—stand in stark contrast to Western legal systems that define nature as property, object, or resource. Photos from the event can be found here.

Eriberto Gualinga’s documentary Helena de Sarayaku (Ecuador, 2022) opened this thematic focus with a moving portrait of 17-year-old Helena, who spends her school holidays in her community in the Ecuadorian Amazon. There, she witnesses the spiritual vitality of the rainforest and the threats posed by oil companies and climate change. She gradually emerges as a young activist, voicing her community’s struggles on a global stage.

Complementing this narrative, Karuara, la gente del río (Peru/Canada, 2024), co-directed by Stephanie Boyd and Miguel Aroz Cartagena, immerses viewers in the mystical and political world of the Kukama people along the Marañón River in Peru. While water spirits—the Karuara—dwell beneath the surface, the Kukama resist extractive threats above it. The film blends everyday life, myth, and striking animations, earning awards at festivals in Lima and Toronto.
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In her article “Im Einklang mit dem Regenwald” (In Harmony with the Rainforest) published in the Schwäbisches Tagblatt on April 28, 2025, journalist Dorothee Hermann emphasizes how these films not only document the lived realities of Indigenous communities but also reflect resistance, cultural continuity, and hope. According to the filmmakers, these stories are both mirrors and calls to action—urging broader recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems and struggles.
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The Cine Latino 2025 festival demonstrated that climate justice and Indigenous rights are deeply interconnected. Protecting the Amazon means listening to and supporting those who have safeguarded it for generations.
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Credits: Article “Im Einklang mit dem Regenwald” by Dorothee Hermann, Schwäbisches Tagblatt, April 28, 2025.

On April 5, 2025, franz.K in Reutlingen came alive with the energy of Pluriversum 2025, an extraordinary multimedia event combining political dialogue, Latin American music, and powerful visual art. This unique evening invited the audience to experience how global struggles for justice—especially the fight for environmental and indigenous rights—can be felt through sound, image, and story.

Moderated by Ecuadorian politician and activist Alberto Acosta and journalist Sandra Weiss, the event featured Grupo Sal, whose vibrant Latin American rhythms gave voice to social movements across the Global South. Artist Johannes Keitel contributed dynamic video-mapping projections that transformed the stage into a visual landscape of resistance and solidarity.

A moving highlight was the live video call with Yuvelis Natalia Morales, a 22-year-old environmental activist from Colombia and member of Alianza Colombia Libre de Fracking. Yuvelis recounted her fight against fracking in Colombia—a struggle marked by courage in the face of threats and political persecution. She powerfully reminded the audience that fracking is a global crisis, responsible for environmental destruction, water contamination, and the displacement of indigenous and rural communities.

The event invited the audience to recognize the Rights of Nature not just as a legal innovation, but as a necessary step toward reimagining human-nature relations and building a more just and sustainable world.

Through sound, visuals, and dialogue, Pluriversum in Reutlingen showed what it means to resist extractivism and amplify voices from the frontlines of environmental defense.

We thank our partner Grupo Sal and all collaborators for making this event possible. The event was funded as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments.

Excited to announce the successful completion of the project The Transformative Potential of Rights of Nature? Struggling for Alternatives to Destructive Anthropocentric Development, funded by the RiSC program of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts, and as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments.

As the final event of the project, we hosted the Knowledge Lab: The Transformative Potential of Rights of Nature? Perspectives and Synergies in Arts, Activism, and Academia (University of Tübingen, 23–24 January 2025)

Bringing together artists, activists, and researchers from Latin America and Europe, the Knowledge Lab explored interdisciplinary and arts-based approaches to Rights of Nature (RoN) and reflected on the political, legal, and cultural dimensions of systemic change. Through dialogues, performances, and critical exchanges, participants examined the transformative promises and challenges of RoN across different fields of practice.

We are delighted to share that the final Workshop Report is now available! It captures the diversity of perspectives, discussions, and creative interventions that took place over the two-day event and highlights key insights into how RoN can contribute to reimagining human–nature relations and promoting more just and ecologically sustainable futures.

The report also marks the closing of the project and the beginning of further reflections on the transformative potential of Rights of Nature in global and local contexts.

Warm thanks to all participants for their crucial contributions to this inspiring and vibrant space for collective thinking and imagining.
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We invite you to explore the full report!

Junior-Professor for "Political Struggles in the Global South" is looking for a new student assistant from 1 June 2025 to support the project “Re-Staging Climate Assemblies” (April 2025-March 2027) in collaboration with Sheffield University, UK.

​​Re-Staging Climate Assemblies is an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of arts, humanities and social science perspectives on climate change and innovations in deliberative democracy. Through ‘re-stagings’ of citizen climate assemblies co-designed with youth diaspora communities in Sheffield, UK and Tübingen, Germany, it will collectively assemble a body of stories, tools and resources for more inclusive and just climate politics. The project will address engagement with underrepresented citizens within climate assemblies, acknowledging diverse ways of knowing and modes of deliberation. It will explore the potential of participatory arts-based approaches, notably scenario-making, for innovating within democratic processes and catalyzing transformative climate action.

We are looking for a student assistant with excellent organizational skills to support us in conducting literature research and building a contextual review, organizing and administering workshops, and communicating with the UK team. The interest in writing a BA or MA thesis on topics close to the project is encouraged.

Workload: 20 h/ month; Salary: 13,98 €/h (without degree), 14,87 €/h (with BA)

Tasks:

• Literature search and administration of literature
• Organization of events and workshops
• Administration and writing of blog/website

Requirements:

• B.A. or M.A. student, not necessarily in Political Science
• Self-organized, responsible and structured work skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent command of German and English

Please send your application with a brief 1-2 page CV and certificates by 30 April 2025 to: [email protected].
Interviews are planned for 7 and 8 May 2025.
Severely disabled applicants with equal qualifications will be given particular consideration.
​For any questions, do not hesitate to contact me via Email.

I look forward to receiving your application!

On 23 and 24 January 2025, artists, activists and researchers came together at the University of Tübingen for the Knowledge Lab "The Transformative Potential of Rights of Nature? Perspectives and Synergies in Arts, Activism, and Academia.” This experimental thinking event, hosted by Riccarda Flemmer (University of Tübingen), Annette Mehlhorn (MPI Halle) and Cecilia Oliveira (RIFS Potsdam), engaged voices from the Global South and North to think about and discuss Rights of Nature (RoN).
After an introduction to the Knowledge Lab by Riccarda, which highlighted the broad potential but also the challenges of RoN, participants explored RoN as a transformative force from their respective fields and perspectives. The talks took us through forest exhibitions and dance performances, river initiatives, buen vivir activism, the crime of the Brumadinho Dam, as well as struggles against extractivism and RoN in Bolivia. After the talks, a discussion emerged around questions of human-nature relations and colonialism emphasising the need for decolonial perspectives, and transdisciplinary alliances.
The first day of dialogues finished with the ScienceArt performance “The Power of Imagination. Performing Rights of Nature” open to the general public. The event was conducted by Elisabeth Weydt (journalist), and the performance duo Jakob&Jakob (Jakob Schall, cello & Jakob Jautz, dance). Elisabeth read from her book "Die Natur hat Recht", 2023) in English showing music and images from the Ecuadorian Intag Valley and its struggle against mining extraction. In an interactive dance and musical improvisation performance of landscape memories by the audience, the performers Jakob&Jakob then guided the audience on a journey through the power of imagination, in which memories and stories about human-nature relations were explored. Volunteers from the audience shared remembrances about their experiences with nature, which were in turn interpreted and performed by the artists. To finalise, the journalist Elisabeth Weydt invited the public to reflect upon some of the challenges of our time and the power of Rights of Nature.

Escrito por: Jun.-Prof. Dra. Riccarda Flemmer
Con la colaboración de:
Lilian Eichorst - Asistente de investigación
Zahid Zamudio - Asistente de investigación
Micha Bröckling - Estudiante de doctorado y asistente de investigación

Los días 23 y 24 de enero de 2025, artistas, activistas e investigadores se reunieron en la Universidad de Tübingen para el Knowledge Lab "¿El Potencial Transformador de los Derechos de la Naturaleza? Perspectivas y Sinergias en las Artes, el Activismo y la Academia." Este evento experimental de reflexión, organizado por Riccarda Flemmer (Universidad de Tübingen), Annette Mehlhorn (MPI Halle) y Cecilia Oliveira (RIFS Potsdam), reunió voces del Sur y el Norte Global para reflexionar y debatir sobre los Derechos de la Naturaleza.
Tras una introducción al Knowledge Lab por parte de Riccarda, quien destacó tanto el amplio potencial como los desafíos de los Derechos de la Naturaleza, los participantes exploraron esta figura como una fuerza transformadora desde sus respectivos campos y perspectivas. Las presentaciones nos llevaron a través de exposiciones en bosques y actuaciones de danza, iniciativas en torno a los ríos, activismo por el buen vivir, el crimen del colapso de la represa de Brumadinho, así como las luchas contra el extractivismo y la aplicación de los Derechos de la Naturaleza en Bolivia. Después de las exposiciones, surgió un debate en torno a las relaciones entre humanos y naturaleza y el colonialismo, subrayando la necesidad de perspectivas decoloniales y alianzas transdisciplinarias.
El primer día de diálogos concluyó con la presentación artística-científica “El Poder de la Imaginación. Interpretando los Derechos de la Naturaleza”, abierta al público en general. El evento fue dirigido por Elisabeth Weydt (periodista) y el dúo de performance Jakob&Jakob (Jakob Schall, violonchelo & Jakob Jautz, danza). Elisabeth leyó fragmentos de su libro “Die Natur hat Recht” (2023) en inglés, acompañados de música e imágenes del valle de Intag en Ecuador y su lucha contra la extracción minera. En una improvisación interactiva de danza y música basada en memorias paisajísticas del público, los artistas Jakob&Jakob guiaron a los asistentes en un viaje a través del poder de la imaginación, explorando recuerdos e historias sobre las relaciones entre los seres humanos y la naturaleza. Algunos voluntarios del público compartieron sus experiencias con la naturaleza, las cuales fueron luego interpretadas y representadas por los artistas. Para finalizar, la periodista Elisabeth Weydt invitó al público a reflexionar sobre algunos de los desafíos de nuestro tiempo y el poder de los Derechos de la Naturaleza.

The Event
On 19 October 2023, we co-organised the book launch of the German edition of "Pluriverse - A Post-development Dictionary" which brought together political and academic voices from the Global South and North with musical performances and artistic video projections. This interplay between music, projections and political impulses allowed the pluriversal message to be experienced through all senses. 

The launch was embedded into Grupo Sal’s Tour Program "PLURIVERSUM- DISCOURSES FOR A JUST WORLD" which created an immersive event. The sextet with singer Fernando Dias Costa carried the audience through the event with Latin American rhythm, poetry, and playful musicality. 

Alberto Acosta, former President of the Ecuadorian Constitutional Assembly, together with the journalist and ex-diplomat Sandra Weiss, led through the event with the virtual presence of the book editors, Arturo Escobar, Ashish Kotari, Ariel Salleh, and Nnimmo Bassy, as well as guest activists from all over the world. 
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Video-mapping projections from artist Johannes Keitel transformed the stage into a visual pluriverse. The projections included - always thematically contextualizing -  performances, portraits, videos, photos, graphics, and quotes.
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The Book 
​In "PLURIVERSUM - Ein Lexikon des Guten Lebens für alle" (link to free PDF and for book orders), more than 120 authors present diverse economic, socio-political, cultural and ecological concepts, worldviews, and practices from around the world. "Post-Development" questions the prevailing Western development model and presents alternatives that protect and respect life on Earth: A Pluriverse of Many Possible Worlds, encompassing a variety of system critiques and ways of living.

This encyclopedia aims to re-politicise the ongoing debate on socio-ecological transformation by highlighting its multi-layered nature. The first English edition was published in India and has already been translated into French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, with other languages to follow. For the first time, the German edition makes this diversity of alternative lifestyles accessible to German-speaking readers as well. 

The book is an encyclopedia with short articles on key concepts. It can be used for teaching and research, to educate activists, academics and practitioners, to inspire the curious to take action - and can inspire those in power to new ideas.

This book was made possible by the commitment and unpaid collaboration of many as initiators, translators, proofreaders and proofreaders. Furthermore, thanks to a dedicated fundraising campaign to finance a large part of the production costs, this book can be distributed at a reasonable price.