Prof. Riccardo Pozzo
The relationship between food and culture, philosophy of food, innovative, reflective and inclusive societies.
Philosophical reflection and cultural innovation take on a decisive role to live ecosystems with attention to biocultural diversity – according to the expression that combines the diversity of life in the interconnected biological, cultural and linguistic manifestations – to the proper management of energy systems as part of the urban fabric and landscape, to the goals and targets of the 2030 UN Agenda.
Riccardo Pozzo holds the chair of the History of Philosophy of Tor Vergata University of Rome, Department of History, Humanities and Society. His research focuses on reflection and inclusion as social processes that shape our understanding of what constitutes cultural innovation, a new category of innovation economics, of which he has made the unprecedented attempt of indicating dimensions, processes and outcomes, while showing their operationalization in empirical case studies. Graduated from the State University of Milan in 1983, he completed his education in Germany – Dr.phil. at the University of Saarland in 1988 and Habilitation at the University of Trier in 1995. In 1996 he was appointed at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. In 2003 the University of Verona called him back to the chair of the History of Philosophy. From 2009 to 2012 he directed the Institute for the European Intellectual Lexicon and History of Ideas of the National Research Council of Italy. From 2012 to 2017, when he was head of the Department of Human and Social Sciences, Cultural Heritage of the National Research Council, he implemented Italy’s participation in the European research infrastructures for social and cultural innovation CESSDA, CLARIN, DARIAH, EHRI, ERIHS, ESS, OPERAS, RESILIENCE and SHARE. In 2022 he was elected ordinary member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, in 2021 ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, in 2020 corresponding member of the Accademia Roveretana degli Agiati di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti and in 2012 titular member of the Institut International de Philosophie, of which he is currently vice president; in 2014 he was awarded the Order of Merit on Ribbon of the Federal Republic of Germany. He is currently serving on the Italian Organizing Committee of the World Congress of Philosophy Rome 2024.
Prof. Riccardo Pozzo
The relationship between food and culture has been considered from a range of disciplines and approaches including anthropology, sociology, history, economics, philosophy, and women's studies. The UNESCO list of world intangible cultural heritage embraces to date 677 items. Food has much to offer to the “reflective society,” a syntagma that has been receiving increased usage among researchers since 2013, because it was the title chosen by the European Commission for posting Social Sciences and Humanities related calls within the sixth societal challenge of Horizon 2020, which is about “Innovative, inclusive and reflective societies.” Biodiversity is to be studied in relation to the mobility of migrants, which has an impact on the agri-food systems. It is necessary to combine global climate change models with local scenarios of social and economic growth. We expect food to trigger a change in the mind-set as regards locating culture (anthropology of space and place) for inclusion and reflection in education, life-long learning, healthcare, urban development and regeneration. Culture cannot be but plural, changing, adaptable, constructed. Inclusion and reflection are constructed whenever we are in contact with other human beings, regardless where they come from.
Thinking of future generations, cultural diversity and biodiversity are a heritage and a common good to be protected as a commitment of global citizenship. They are also fundamental resources to face new challenges and find with an integrated approach solutions to planetary problems such as climate and water regulation, food quality and safety, urbanization through fair employment opportunities and careful protection of ecosystems.