Nora Sørensen Vaage

About

Nora S. Vaage is associate professor in media studies. She works primarily on art and new technologies, focusing on ethics, experience and connections to societal change, e.g. climate change and the bioeconomy. Her recent research focuses on the tensions of care, bioart and environmental media. Vaage's interests also include representations and metaphors of new and emerging technologies, artistic research, and concept formation in art and media theory.

Background

PhD in philosophy of science from the University of Bergen (2016).

Disciplinary connections include philosophy, art history, science and technology studies (STS), literature and media studies.

Has a permanent side position at Norwegian Bioart Arena (NOBA), Campus Ås.

Also works as associate professor in art and media studies at Nord University (20%) where she worked fulltime from January 2021-July 2023, after being associate professor II from September 2019.

Previously worked as assistant professor in philosophy of art and culture at Maastricht University in the Netherlands (2016-2020).

Has occasionally worked as an art critic and curator, notably of the Article biennial in Stavanger in 2016, and as coordinator for Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) at Center for Digital Life Norway (2016).

Research

Vaage's primary research topics are

1. bio- and eco art, meaning art that explores the living world around us and the interconnections between species and individuals. In this context she is currently active as lead researcher at NOBA: Norwegian Bioart Arena at Vitenparken Campus Ås.

2. representations and narratives of climate change, particularly as this relates to art and future visions.

3. the role of metaphors in the understanding of new and emerging technologies.

4. conceptions of knowledge in artistic research.

She leads the work package Experiential Soils in the project Anthropogenic Soils: Recuperating Human-Soil Relationships on a Troubled Planet (2022-2028).

Publications

2024

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2024) Soiling the Anthropocene.
Chapter
Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Lie, Merete. (2024) Blood, sweat and tears: Kinning otherwise through art. Technoetic Arts: A Journal of Speculative Research
Academic article

2022

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2022) The Entanglement of Technology and Art.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

2021

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2021) Trading between science and art worlds: From biology laboratory to art exhibition.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Barendregt, Laura; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2021) Speculative Design as Thought Experiment. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation
Academic article
Ballo, Ingrid Foss; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2021) Public Reasoning in "Post-Truth" Times: Technoscientific Imaginaries of "Smart" Futures.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

2020

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2020) Wisdom in Artistic Research: An Alternative to the Discourse of Art as Knowledge Production.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

2019

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2019) Living Machines: Metaphors We Live By. NanoEthics
Academic article

2017

Dankel, Dorothy Jane; Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Sluijs, Jeroen P van der. (2017) Post-normal science in practice. Futures: The journal of policy, planning and futures studies
Editorial

2016

Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore. (2016) Amplifying Ambiguities. Art on the Fringes of Biotechnology. Universitetet i Bergen Universitetet i Bergen
Doctoral dissertation
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) 2016 World Congress on In Vitro Biology, June 11-15, San Diego, California : Late Submission Abstracts. In vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Animal
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore; Haagensen, Trine Krigsvoll; Smith, Samantha L.. (2016) Images of Knowledge.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Sluijs, Jeroen P van der; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Pollinators and Global Food Security: the Need for Holistic Global Stewardship. Food Ethics
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Grow Your Own Views on Knowledge: Visions and framings of synthetic biology.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore; Haagensen, Trine Krigsvoll; Smith, Samantha L.. (2016) Images of Knowledge: The Epistemic Lives of Pictures and Visualisations. Peter Lang Publishing Group Peter Lang Publishing Group
Academic anthology/Conference proceedings
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) What Ethics for Bioart?. NanoEthics
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Fringe Biotechnology. BioSocieties
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Art and design visions of future foods: de-extinction and in vitro meat.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

2015

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2015) Friluftsliv. Kunstkritikk.no
Book review
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2015) On Cultures and Artscience. Interdisciplinarity and Discourses of “Twos” and “Threes” after Snow’s Two Cultures. Nordic Journal of Science and Technology Studies
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Trojok, Rüdiger; Borch, Martin; Aleman, Ana Maria Delgado. (2015) Biohacking meets philosophy, sociology and ethics: Notes on the S.NET 2014 Meeting in Karlsruhe.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

2014

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2014) Materiens forgjengelighet. Kunstkritikk.no
Book review

2012

Øyen, Simen Andersen; Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Lund-Olsen, Tone. (2012) Scientific Worldviews, Religious Minds - Some introductory reflections.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Øyen, Simen Andersen; Lund-Olsen, Tone; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2012) Sacred science? On science and its interrelations with religious worldviews. Wageningen Academic Publishers Wageningen Academic Publishers
Academic anthology/Conference proceedings

Journal publications

Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Lie, Merete. (2024) Blood, sweat and tears: Kinning otherwise through art. Technoetic Arts: A Journal of Speculative Research
Academic article
Barendregt, Laura; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2021) Speculative Design as Thought Experiment. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2019) Living Machines: Metaphors We Live By. NanoEthics
Academic article
Dankel, Dorothy Jane; Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Sluijs, Jeroen P van der. (2017) Post-normal science in practice. Futures: The journal of policy, planning and futures studies
Editorial
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) 2016 World Congress on In Vitro Biology, June 11-15, San Diego, California : Late Submission Abstracts. In vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Animal
Academic article
Sluijs, Jeroen P van der; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Pollinators and Global Food Security: the Need for Holistic Global Stewardship. Food Ethics
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) What Ethics for Bioart?. NanoEthics
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Fringe Biotechnology. BioSocieties
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2015) Friluftsliv. Kunstkritikk.no
Book review
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2015) On Cultures and Artscience. Interdisciplinarity and Discourses of “Twos” and “Threes” after Snow’s Two Cultures. Nordic Journal of Science and Technology Studies
Academic article
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2014) Materiens forgjengelighet. Kunstkritikk.no
Book review

Books

Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore; Haagensen, Trine Krigsvoll; Smith, Samantha L.. (2016) Images of Knowledge: The Epistemic Lives of Pictures and Visualisations. Peter Lang Publishing Group Peter Lang Publishing Group
Academic anthology/Conference proceedings
Øyen, Simen Andersen; Lund-Olsen, Tone; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2012) Sacred science? On science and its interrelations with religious worldviews. Wageningen Academic Publishers Wageningen Academic Publishers
Academic anthology/Conference proceedings

Part of book/report

Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2024) Soiling the Anthropocene.
Chapter
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2022) The Entanglement of Technology and Art.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2021) Trading between science and art worlds: From biology laboratory to art exhibition.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Ballo, Ingrid Foss; Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2021) Public Reasoning in "Post-Truth" Times: Technoscientific Imaginaries of "Smart" Futures.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2020) Wisdom in Artistic Research: An Alternative to the Discourse of Art as Knowledge Production.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore; Haagensen, Trine Krigsvoll; Smith, Samantha L.. (2016) Images of Knowledge.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Grow Your Own Views on Knowledge: Visions and framings of synthetic biology.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Vaage, Nora Sørensen. (2016) Art and design visions of future foods: de-extinction and in vitro meat.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Trojok, Rüdiger; Borch, Martin; Aleman, Ana Maria Delgado. (2015) Biohacking meets philosophy, sociology and ethics: Notes on the S.NET 2014 Meeting in Karlsruhe.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Øyen, Simen Andersen; Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Lund-Olsen, Tone. (2012) Scientific Worldviews, Religious Minds - Some introductory reflections.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

Report

Vaage, Nora Sørensen; Slaattelid, Rasmus Tore. (2016) Amplifying Ambiguities. Art on the Fringes of Biotechnology. Universitetet i Bergen Universitetet i Bergen
Doctoral dissertation

Teaching

Courses

Vaage is course responsible for FM3000, and also teaches MV1101 Media History and Media Theory.

She has formerly taught at BA, MA and PhD levels in art history, philosophy and sociology of art, media history, media aesthetics, philosophy of science, research ethics, bioethics, ethics of images, theory of science, etc. at Nord University, Maastricht University and the University of Bergen.

Supervision

Vaage is available to supervise master and PhD students on topics connected to (new) media, artscience, art and technology, art and ecology, ethics, climate narratives and similar.

Outreach