The "Towards a Genuinely Global Mathematics Community" Seminar Series is a monthly virtual seminar which includes mathematics research talks, math & society talks, and storytelling spaces to help strengthen, expand, and grow this anti-imperialist network of mathematicians who are commited to fighting for a genuinely global mathematics discipline. SIGN UP for the mailing list HERE!
"Linking Mathematical Activities to Political and Societal Issues: A Brief History of Boycotting International Congresses of Mathematics"
Abstract:
In response to calls to boycott the 2022 International Congress of Mathematicians, the International Mathematical Union Executive Committee issued a statement "oppos[ing] all boycotts of scientific events and all attempts to link scientific activities to political and societal issues." To the contrary, the history of the ICMs and IMU has fundamentally been about the inextricable links between mathematics and politics. I will survey how "attempts to link scientific activities to political and societal issues" have been central to the ICMs and IMU from their origins, with a special focus on the 1950 ICM and the subsequent re-founding of the IMU. I will conclude by considering the legacy of mathematicians entanglement with international and global politics and its implications today.
Abstract:
We arrive to math and science out of curiosity, in search of beauty and understanding. Over time we discover that they are tremendously powerful tools. The potential success and applicability of our scientific project sometimes confronts us with ethical questions that we cannot ignore. In a profoundly unequal society, who has access to the discoveries and technologies that may result? Who benefits and who is harmed? What role do we play in building a more just and equitable society? For me, these questions became especially relevant when a research project in "pure" mathematics (CAT(0) geometry) found unexpected applications (robotic motion planning). I will discuss this project, and how it has shaped my thinking about and acting on the relevant societal questions.
Speaker Bios
Dr. Michael Barany is an interdisciplinary scholar, currently Senior Lecturer in the History of Science at the University of Edinburgh. Barany researches the history of modern mathematics and teaches social studies of mathematical sciences, with a focus on how abstract knowledge about the modern world is produced by people, how it is shaped by its contexts, and how it shapes those contexts in turn.
Dr. Federico Ardila is a Colombian mathematician who works in combinatorics and its connections to geometry, algebra, topology, and its applications. He has also done outreach work and spearheaded initiatives related to fostering just, welcoming and joyful mathematical communities which serve the needs of all while benefiting from their differences.