Collaborations for Future is a design research programme established to enable and research the close collaboration between professional designers and climate scientists. The aim of this programme is to create innovative, commissioning models, methodologies, tools and structures that enable creative professionals to collaborate effectively with climate scientists, ultimately addressing the urgent challenges of climate change. Foundation We Are, Social Design Showdown and Pakhuis de Zwijger will host a series of talks as part of this design research programme. During these events we invite various inspiring speakers who work in different domains to set up unexpected encounters to find out how to make sense of climate change and find ways to work together. During this first episode, we will invite psychologists, scientists and activists to talk about what they feel when it comes to climate change. How do we begin to interpret climate change and what position can we take? How does it feel? How do we want to feel? How should we feel?
About the speakers
Neela Paulussen is a Body-oriented (trauma) therapist and has her own practice in Amsterdam since 2016. Climate justice and social equality are important to her. The climate emergency touches on deep spiritual themes such as life and death, meaning and acceptance. Neela likes to take this into the sessions, because this is the context in which we live. She is involved in several movements that focus on how climate change affects people, also as an activist.
Harriët Bergman is a philosopher and activist based in Amsterdam. Her current PhD research at the University of Antwerp focusses on political emotions and climate justice, with an emphasis on eco-fascism, anger, violence and climate racism. She is part of the broader climate justice movement, acquiring editor for Jacobin NL, and writes for Hard//Hoofd.
Fabian Dablander is a Postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics and the Institute for Advanced Study at the University of Amsterdam. Fabian investigates issues surrounding the energy transition and the climate and ecological crisis from a theoretical and practical perspective. Fabian is also connected to
Scientist Rebellion, an international movement of scientists and academics who are extremely concerned about the climate and ecological crisis.
Rembrandt Zegers is a biologist, businessanalyst and psychosocial therapist with a longstanding professional background in both the business sector as well as in the public world. He works with many others on the challenges in the emergent climate and biodiversity crises.
Kornelia Dimitrova is an architect and social designer who founded the
Studio Kornelia Dimitrova and Co-founded Foundation We Are. Foundation We Are was established in 2018 with the goal to enable, facilitate and research unexpected collaborations between the creative sector and experts on societal transitions.
