42nd International Human Science Research Conference

He has published widely in these areas. Dr. Hansen is internationally known as the creator of 'The Wonder Lab,' now used in doctoral programs in phenomenology, spiritual care, health care training in The Netherlands and Denmark, and for the method behind 'Phenomenological Action Research'. He is currently researching the intersection of environmental and health humanities, focusing on eco-phenomenological approaches to Eco-Existential Health and Existential Sustainability. Dr. Hansen has facilitated workshops and presented at international conferences around the world. 

Description

It is well known that the most fundamental and receptive attitude or opening to the phenomenon in and of itself is the attitude or disposition of philosophical and artistic wonder, according to hermeneutic and existential phenomenologists such as Eugen Fink, Jan Patocka, Merleau-Ponty, Hannah Arendt, and the late Heidegger. Immersing oneself in deep contemplative wonder can be described as arriving at a place of saturated silence that calls the wondrous person into a hold. From the breezes of this kind of wonder - of fundamental unknowing and undoing, or "existential kenosis" - the person in wonder senses the yet-to-be, which has not yet been gestalted, constructed, perceived, and grasped by the intentionality of consciousness. Heidegger wrote in “The Origin of the Work of Art” that "perhaps [lived] experience is the element in which art dies." The experiences of art and philosophy can take us beyond the personal, subjective lived experience and into the reverberation of a "truth experience" where the phenomenon is witnessed in and of itself as a "speaking being" (Bachelard). In qualitative inquiries, these moments of unknowing and undoing (non-methodological falling out of the structured research scheme) can be very inspiring for the researcher (St. Pierre, 2020). 

In the first part of this workshop, we will dwell on the phenomenon of deep wonder and how this wonder can be found (or invoked) in phenomenological and hermeneutic research. In the second part, I will facilitate a Wonder Lab that will focus on four forms of contemplative wonder: Phenomenological Wow-Wonder, Hermeneutic Wisdom-Wonder, Deconstructive/Apophatic Without-Why-Wonder, and Ethical and Daoist Wu-Wei-Wonder. The last form of wonder is inspired by the American eco-phenomenologist Eric Nelson. Participants are invited to share their own research interests and wonderments about how best to approach lived experiences in wondrous ways. 

Alfred Sköld is Associate Professor in General Psychology at Aalborg University, Denmark. His research, that is theoretically anchored in existential phenomenology, psychoanalysis and critical theory, focuses broadly on existential phenomena such as grief, love, happiness and hope. Sköld’s line of research is preoccupied with questions of what it means to be human in the beginning of the twenty-first century, how our emotional landscapes are shaped by an intersection of existential universals, cultural mediators and personal characteristics.

Description
Even though the question of what love is remains enigmatic, experiences of love pervade our entire lives. This lecture will embark on a broad-scale investigation of what the experience of love can teach us about who we are and what it means to be human. I will argue that love crystalizes some of the most important features of our existential condition, and that its vast importance should be seen in this light.

Research projects
Sköld’s ph.d.-dissertation, Relationality and Finitude – A Social Ontology of Grief (2021) was written as part of the interdisciplinary research project “The Culture of Grief”, that investigated the natural, cultural and personal dimensions of grief in light of the implementation of Prolonged Grief Disorder in ICD-11. Drawing empirically on interviews with bereaved life partners in different generations, Sköld developed a social ontology of grief, where grief is situated as a mediator between the relational and finite aspects of human life. 

His current research project, “Emotions of Climate Activism” investigates the role of emotions in light of the ecological crisis. The project is empirically anchored in an ethnographic and interview-based study of young climate activist in The Green Youth Movement (Den grønne ungdomsbevægelse), and examines specifically how the emotions of grief, hope and care play a role in this context. 

Sköld is also the editor of several anthologies and has published extensively within the field of death awareness and critical happiness studies.

Selected publications 

Sköld, A. (2021). Relationality and Finitude – A Social Ontology of Grief. Aalborg. Aalborg University Press. 

Sköld, A. & Roald, T. (2021). An Existential Structure of Love. The Humanistic Psychologist, 49(3), 369-380. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000165

Sköld, A. (Ed.) (2023). Kærligehedens Kartotek  [The Register of Love]. Aarhus: Klim.

Esben Bala Skouboe, Director Studio Poesis Arts in Health Collective, is a civil engineer with a Ph.D. in Architecture, Design & Media Technology (AD:MT) from Aalborg University, Denmark. Celebrated for his idealistic and innovative approach, Esben seamlessly merges art and science to reimagine architecture’s role in addressing societal challenges. His work spans diverse artistic disciplines, including theatre, music, photography, sound and light design, painting, and architecture, with a particular focus on healthcare environments.

Description

Prize-winning architect and researcher Esben Bala Skouboe will deliver a thought-provoking keynote addressing the intersection of architecture, sensory design, and existential art. Drawing upon his pioneering work at Studio Poesis. Dr. Skouboe will examine how meticulously designed spaces can profoundly influence human experiences, particularly in critical environments on Danish hospitals. His exploration draws on 10 years of research design and will highlight the capacity of art and architecture to evoke deep existential meanings, fostering connections, vulnerability, and empowerment during pivotal life moments. He delves into the profound interplay between architecture, sensory design, and human experiences at two of life’s most transformative moments—birth and death. Titled "Existential Spaces for Birth & Death," this thought-provoking presentation draws upon Dr. Skouboe’s extensive research and innovative practice at Studio Poesis, where he combines art, science, and technology to reimagine how we design spaces that support human dignity, connection, and emotional well-being.

Focusing on healthcare environments, Dr. Skouboe will present groundbreaking projects such as sensory delivery rooms, which integrate light, sound, materiality, and spatial design to create environments that respond to the physiological and psychological needs of individuals during childbirth. He will explore how such spaces transcend functionality, becoming places of profound existential meaning that support the vulnerability, empowerment, and transformation inherent in the act of bringing life into the world.

Likewise, Dr. Skouboe will address the design of spaces for the end of life, offering reflections on how architecture can provide solace, comfort, and connection for individuals and their loved ones during the final moments of life. Drawing on principles of existential art and sensory design, he will illustrate how thoughtfully curated environments can foster a sense of peace and dignity, emphasizing the importance of integrating aesthetic and emotional dimensions into spaces often associated with grief and transition.

This keynote highlights the essential role of architecture in shaping the human experience, challenging traditional notions of healthcare design by emphasizing the interplay of beauty, functionality, and existential depth. By bridging the worlds of art and science, Dr. Skouboe reveals how architectural spaces can support life’s most meaningful transitions, offering profound insights for architects, healthcare professionals, and researchers interested in the impact of design on human experience.

This presentation offers a unique opportunity to engage with cutting-edge perspectives on the role of aesthetics and architectural design in enriching and contextualizing the lived human experience. Join this compelling presentation to explore how innovative architectural practices can elevate our understanding of lived experiences and redefine the spaces where life begins and ends.

Selected publication 
Crafting atmospheres for Healthcare Design The Journal of Somaesthetics Volume 8, Number 1 (2022)

Current projects

• Sensorial Spaces in Intensive Care, Regionalhospital Hjørring 
• Arts in Health Biennale 2025, Region Midt
• Development of Sensorial Delivery Rooms for hospital in Abu Dhabi

Pia Dreyer is a Professor in Nursing and a Clinical Nurse Specialist at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital. She is engaged in research, education, and teaching in the fields of intensive care nursing and home ventilator treatment. Pia has been involved in the establishment, development, and research of Home Mechanical Ventilation in Denmark for over 30 years. She currently leads The ICU Cognitive Rehabilitation Nursing Programme (ICU-CogHab).

Pia’s research interests center on qualitative methodologies, including phenomenology, hermeneutics, narratives, text, and interpretation, drawing inspiration from the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur. Her phenomenological and hermeneutical scholarship is deeply rooted in the life-wide practices of nursing and research. By exploring lived experiences and uncovering meaning, she seeks to achieve a profound understanding of patients’ and relatives’ illness trajectories and life conditions. Her insights aim to inform healthcare professionals, students, and educators alike.

Building on Ricoeur’s ideas about narratives in relation to human lives, Pia advocates for the view that within the framework of hermeneutics and the human sciences, narratives illuminate selfhood: "We are the stories we tell." She has demonstrated how narratives provide rich data about patients' lives, benefiting both research and clinical practice. Through phenomenological-hermeneutical studies in nursing, Pia has illustrated how narratives can be applied at all stages of the research process. By employing metaphors and narrative language, she presents research findings in a way that is both meaningful and insightful, offering readers new perspectives and deeper understanding.

Description
Pia will demonstrate how a phenomenological-hermeneutical approach, inspired by Paul Ricoeur’s philosophy on hermeneutics and the human sciences, provides valuable insights into studying patients’ everyday lives and their experiences of being critically ill.

Selected publications

• Dreyer, P. (2019). Den kritiske fortolkning og diskussion med afsæt i Paul Ricoeurs filosofi (The Critical Interpretation and Discussion Based on Paul Ricoeur's Philosophy). In Fenomenologi i praktiken. Fenomenologisk forskning i ett skandinaviskt perspektiv. Edited by Dahlberg, H., Ellingsen, S., Martinsen, B., & Rosberg, S. Liber AB, Stockholm.
• Dreyer, P., Thorn, L., Lund, T.H., & Bro, M.L. (2024). Live music in the intensive care unit – a beautiful experience. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 19(1), 2322755. DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2024.2322755.