While Writer-In-Residence At Environment Research Center
As already reported, author, comedian and former Mayor Jón Gnarr has announced that he and his family will soon be moving to Houston, Texas. Rice University’s Center for Energy & Environmental Research in the Human Sciences – CENHS – just revealed some further details about Jón Gnarr’s upcoming stay at the institute. According to the center’s announcement, Gnarr will be its first writer-in-residence. Furthermore, it reveals that Gnarr plans to write a book during the residency, based on his experiences as mayor, “provisionally titled A Human’s Guide to Politics“.
In the blog post published on Tuesday, CENHS Director Dominic Boyer is quoted as saying: “Gnarr’s story has served as an inspiration to both movements and individuals across the world who are looking for an alternative to contemporary political stasis and cynicism. He and his collaborators in the Best Party proved that citizens can occupy, operate and even improve our political system when given the chance.” Boyer further notes that members of CENHS believe that energy and environment challenges can only be met by developing “political ideas and institutions appropriate to life in the Anthropocene.” He says that Jón Gnarr has known this for a long time and that Gnarr recognizes climate change as the single most important challenge facing Iceland and the world. Boyer concluded by stating his and the center’s excitement “at the opportunity of learning and laughing” with Jón Gnarr.
According to Derek Woods, graduate student at the center, Gnarr will, alongside writing, stage a reading of his play Hotel Volkswagen and make several appearances at CENHS events.
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