Talk – «Our Society» Pint of Science

Talk — «Our Society» by Pint of Science at Café Soul Food, Santa Brígida, Gran Canaria.

PINT OF SCIENCE FESTIVAL May 18, 19, and 20, 2026.

May 19, 2026 — 18:00
Our Society

Café Soul Food
Calle Real 7, Santa Brigica 35300, LAS PALMAS – Santa Brígida, Spain

How do we understand our past, environment, and current social challenges? In this session, we will explore the social perception of migration, the role of archaeology and our relationship with animals in reconstructing history, and the importance of protecting marine ecosystems, with special attention to the Canary Islands. An invitation to reflect, learn, and debate in a relaxed atmosphere.

Biosphere reserves in the Canary Islands sea — José Juan Castro Hernández (Speaker)
The expansion of biosphere reserves at sea is nothing more than a symbolic, but important, step for two reasons: 1- because it opts for a regional conservation strategy for the ocean and oceanic biodiversity surrounding the islands; and 2, because it places the Canary Islands at the center of North Atlantic marine biodiversity conservation policy, as a future unique national and European element within the framework of the Pact for the Oceans promoted by the European Commission.

Documenting the perception of migration — Juan Manuel Chávez (Speaker)
This talk analyzes how the social and media perception of migration in the Canary Islands is constructed, through photographic, testimonial, and journalistic sources. Coining the term “soñadero” (places where rafts and small boats are abandoned) as a creative-disseminative device and through fieldwork in Arinaga, the tension between the visible and the hidden is revealed. Finally, the talk advocates for documentation as an ethical and aesthetic tool to humanize the migratory phenomenon and promote a more complex and dignified island narrative.

Selective memory when we talk about ancestors — Alejandra Calderón Ordóñez (Speaker)
Canarian society is a mixed society from its origins. Genetic studies help us understand how it has been formed. However, they also highlight how our identity is more than just biology, as when we define ourselves, we give more importance to or leave aside certain parts of our biological heritage. As a bioanthropologist and paleogeneticist, I will explain the genetic composition of the Canarian populations, from the aborigines to the present day, including historical phenomena such as the African diaspora, and I will reflect on how we interpret this data.