Prof Abbie Garrington of Durham University has argued that the arts and humanities are essential for the UK's space exploration efforts, warning that cuts to these subjects are a national diminishment. In a letter to the Guardian, she responded to an interview with physicist Laura Grego about the battle for the skies.
Grego's warnings on space and satellites
Grego said people “have to be aware of what is happening in space” and should question Elon Musk's potential “appropriation” of space via satellite. She noted that the spacefaring era raises questions about Earth stewardship and the significance of human culture, adding: “Most people don’t know we’ve set up a doomsday system.” The Artemis mission was cited as both inspiring and relegating the public to an audience with no say in civilisational decisions.
UK space strategy and Stem focus
Successive UK governments have prioritised Stem subjects, and the forthcoming national space strategy will focus on economic growth and national security, effectively a second space race. Garrington argued that sciences cannot tackle these matters alone. New collaborative structures, theories of jurisdiction and laws, philosophies of the human, and interplanetary environmental responsibility are needed, along with a sharp eye on the history of human hubris.
Examples and concerns over cuts
Garrington pointed to Durham University’s Space Research Centre and the new Leverhulme Centre for Humanity and Space at the University of Leicester as ways forward. She expressed concern about arts and humanities layoffs at universities including Exeter and Edinburgh, which the British Academy calls “cold spots” where students miss out on enriching subjects. These cuts, she said, represent a diminishment of subjects essential to the UK’s flourishing in a new phase of space exploration.
Prof Abbie Garrington is a professor at the University of Durham.
