The Bruno Latour Fund

A significant project

The ecological and climate crises call for an unprecedented collective mobilization to understand the complexity of the phenomena and to propose solutions to the problems they raise.

Political ecology debates suffer from a lack of fundamental research, which is absolutely necessary as a complement to the Earth system sciences. This initiative, which was created at the instigation of Bruno Latour, will welcome a group of ten young researchers who are at the forefront of research in political ecology. Their backgrounds come from a variety of human and social sciences fields, including anthropology, sociology, philosophy, environmental history, geography, economics, administrative sciences, law, and geopolitics.

The Fund is part of Sciences Po’s “Environmental Transformations Initiative,” which seeks to ensure the consistency and visibility of research activities on these topics. Putting academic excellence, interdisciplinary, and critical analysis at the service of research on climate and ecological changes is at the core of Sciences Po’s goals. 

The creation of the Fund also supports Sciences Po’s 2020-2023 Transition Plan, which includes, among other things, the creation of a mandatory course on environmental transitions for first-year college students.

• https://www.sciencespo.fr/recherche/en/content/interdisciplinary-workshop-environmental-research-aire
• https://www.sciencespo.fr/nous-soutenir/en/nos_projets/sustainable-development-and-climate-transition-chair/
• The earth politic center 
• Laboratory for Interdisciplinary evaluation of public policies (LIEPP)
• IDDRI, associated with à Sciences Po

“Sciences Po has many assets to establish its distinctive positioning on environmental transitions, which is all too frequently considered to be the domain of other sciences. The Fund is part of the transformational approach of our Foundation, which works for a more ecological and inclusive society, through its ambition to create bridges between different scientific disciplines, but also between the arts and the sciences .”

Marie-Stéphane Maradeix, General Delegate Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso

Bruno Latour 

Bruno Latour was one of the most internationally recognized and honored French intellectuals. He received numerous prizes and awards, including seven honorary doctorates, the Gifford Lectures, the Holberg Prize (considered the Nobel Prize for social sciences and humanities) and  the Kyoto Prize in 2021. Bruno Latour served as Scientific Director of Sciences Po between 2007 and 2012 and as a professor until his death in 2022. He renewed the fundamentals of Sciences Po’s research strategy and devoted numerous works, publications, exhibitions, and theatrical performances to ecological issues. He was the driving force behind some of the institution’s most audacious initiatives, such as the Medialab, the Master in Political Arts (SPEAP), the FORCCAST program, and the dual Bachelors Science and Social Sciences offered jointly by Sciences Po and Sorbonne University. He also led the creation of the Center for Earth Policies (in partnership with the University of Paris Cité). Prior to his death, he was personally involved in the development of the Fund project that now bears his name.

“When Sciences Po and Bruno Latour contacted us, we immediately responded to provide long-term support for this project. For a bank like ours, which is deeply involved in the issues raised by the ecological transition, it is crucial to create active connections between knowledge production and the professional world. The work of Bruno Latour has influenced and will continue to influence the transformations that we must undertake. Helping researchers to continue his work is another way to be worthy of the legacy he gave us.”

Antoine Sire, Director of Corporate Engagement, BNP Paribas

“For ADEME, the knowledge produced by this postdoctoral research program will help to shed light on the social transformations necessary for ecological transition. With this conviction, and in honor of the memory of Bruno Latour, ADEME is committed alongside Sciences Po to this fund .”

Baptiste Perrissin-Fabert, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Expertise and Programs at ADEME

The Post-doctoral researchers

The Fund will support 10 post-doctoral researchers. Candidates are selected through an international call for proposals.

Their actions are as follows:

• Research: conduct the research submitted in their proposal, participating in the scientific activities of their host laboratory and in those of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Research Workshop (AIRE).
• Teaching: teach at least one course per year (24 hours) at Sciences Po (on one of the seven campuses, in French or in English, with content to be defined in coordination with the departments)
• Promotion: write a working paper destined for the sponsors of the Bruno Latour Fund and the general public.

Management of the funds

• Pierre Charbonnier : co-director, researcher CNRS au Center of Europen Studies and Comparative politics
• Charlotte Halpern : co-director, researcher at Sciences Po, Centre for European studies and comparative politics in Paris.She holds a PhD in political science.

 “Supporting the research program carried out by the Bruno Latour Fund is part of our goal to remain at the forefront of understanding ecological transformations, which will allow us to advise our clients in a relevant manner.”

Cyril of Mont-Marin, Managing Partner, Rothschild & Co

“While many solutions already exist, all the warning signs show that we are not moving fast enough to take global environmental issues into account. We are convinced that fundamental research in political ecology, carried out within the Bruno Latour Fund, will contribute to this vital acceleration for women and men to live decently within the limits of the planet.”

Pierre Coppey Deputy Managing Director of VINCI, Chairman of VINCI Autoroutes, Chairman of Leonard.