What we can learn about society from the garden

Gardens tell stories through colours, forms, materials and living organisms; they speak of secret, self-serving or staged connections and relationships. They can be used, presented and judged aesthetically in a myriad of ways, and can be colonial and traditional, rustic and exotic all at once. As a structure of nature and culture, the garden has presented new challenges time and again for centuries, once more in the so-called Anthropocene, in which humans act as a force of nature. What all garden models have in common is that they enable people to establish a relationship with nature that is determined by technical, aesthetic, social, political and economic factors. Gardens are thus social arenas for engaging with nature, which can be harmonious or conflictual, or both at once. What do we learn through horticultural practices from and about these multifaceted and polyphonic structures?

Public lecture entitled “Learning about society from the garden?”
Wednesday, 17 June 2026, 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm
BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, main campus, Audimax 1
Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 3, 03046 Cottbus
Following the lecture, there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion with the speaker.

About the speaker

Prof. Dr Astrid Schwarz researches and teaches the history and philosophy of technology studies. She examines socio-technical constellations and objects within their environment and is interested in experimental formats and creative work in science, art and everyday life. Since 2017, she has held the Chair of Technoscience Studies at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. Previously, she worked at institutions including ETH Zurich, the University of Technology of Darmstadt and the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme in Paris. 

About the Open BTU lecture series

The public lecture series “Open BTU” offers insights into fascinating fields of knowledge. During the summer term, the focus was on topics such as democracy, heritage conservation and prefabricated building construction, as well as the garden as a mirror of society.

With this educational format, which is open to all interested parties, the Centre for Continuing Education at BTU supports lifelong learning and funds the transfer of knowledge and ideas in the region by addressing socially relevant issues. In doing so, the university cooperates with other universities and institutions