Monday 1 June | The corona app: solution to our problems or a big mistake?

The corona app: solution to our problems or a big mistake?

Several weeks ago the government organised an ‘appathon’ with the aim of launching a corona tracing app in record time. Experts complimented the government for the transparancy of the process, but were sceptical: the app had to be developed in a rush, and essential privacy concerns were not thought through. It turned out that there was no company participating in the ‘appathon’ that could live up to the safety standards. It has been quiet ever since…

But what are the main issues when developing such an app? Is it possible to reconcile the functionality of a tracing app with our right to privacy? Will there be an app in the end?

We asked dr. Seda Gürses, Associate Professor in the Department of Multi-Actor Systems at the Faculty of Technology Policy and Management. What do you think, should we use an app to trace people infected by the virus?

Are you still full of questions or ideas after watching this video? Join the discussion on corona apps on June 2nd, hosted by Matthew Dennis and organised by our colleagues at X TU Delft.

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.

New: SG Online Walk-In Skype Hour!

Do you have questions or suggestions for SG? Ready your webcam and click here to meet SG team members live on Skype, every Tuesday from 11am to 12pm.

Normally the SG office (in the TUD Library, room 1.60) is open for walk-ins from Mondays through Thursdays. Since most of us are working or studying from home for the time being, we’ve decided to host a weekly walk-in Skype session instead. Whether you’re a student, a staff member, or other visitor, feel free to ‘visit’ us on Skype.

Friday 29 May | One World Government

After WWI, the League of Nations was formed. It couldn’t prevent WWII. After that war, the UN was founded, along with the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and dozens of other global agencies. None of them prevented the advance of climate change, the 2008 global recession, or 2020’s coronavirus pandemic. What will the next step in global politics be?

Apart from increased nationalism and isolation, there are voices calling for even more global connectedness. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, for example, is advocating a temporary one-world government to tackle the pandemic. An institution that, unlike the UN, can make broad political and economic decisions that will actually be enforced.

A one world government is a nightmare scenario for many thinkers. But even a nightmare is better faced than left to fester in our unconscious. ‘Global citizens’ as we are, we should at least think about it. What would a one world government look like? Would it tend towards democratic values, or be authoritarian? Who would be in charge? Where would the ‘capital’ be? How would it enforce its decrees? Power is not often relinquished: if we tried it out for a while, like Brown suggests, could we ever let it go? Or would Pandora’s Box be forever left open? And if so, would that be any worse or better than what we’re facing now?

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.

Thursday 28 May | Frankenstein Book Club Podcast

Dr. Kathryn Harkup has produced a fascinating podcast on the science behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for SG. Have a listen and learn about gruesome experiments with electricity, grave robbing for profit, and the quarantine-like isolation in which Shelley wrote her famous novel.

Interested? It’s not too late to join the online book club where we’ll discuss the book in its entirety.

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.

Wednesday 27 May | Online opera series

Operadagen Rotterdam produces the six episode online opera Home Sweet Home. A community project together with Rotterdam artists like collective Club Gewalt and theatre-maker Gabby Bakker, but also soprano Claron McFadden and in co-production with online broadcaster OPEN Rotterdam. Together 100 Rotterdam artists show a versatile and colourful image on the streets of Rotterdam in this cross-over project.

Originally meant to kick off the festival Operadagen Rotterdam, the community project had to bring together a big crowd with people from various backgrounds. Because of COVID-19 this idea had to be adapted, and the festival organization asked singers, musicians and dancers to film themselves from home with a pre-formulated instruction. From all this footage, the online video series was made as a “chronicle of our age”, according to creative director Rajiv Bhagwanbali.

Between 21 and 30 May new episodes appear on their website, with the last episode on May 30. Check out this beautifully made online opera production.

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: #MentalHealth, #TheWorldAfterCorona, #ArtsCulture, #ClipsLectures, #CasualFriday.

Tuesday 26 May | The Dilemmas that Will Shape the World After Corona

Predicting what the world will look like over the coming years is never an easy task. But looking at the different dilemmas we face because of the coronavirus, we at least get to see what’s at stake. It seems likely that this tiny virus will reshape our entire civilization.

In this short read in the Hindustan Times, former Indian ambassador dr. Mohan Kumar lists seven ways the world may change. In one example, he sees public health security becoming equally if not more important than national security. Will pathogens be seen as a greater threat than terrorists? How will this affect air travel, xenophobia, and politics?

In this longer read on New Statesman, former UK foreign secretary David Milliband argues that there are four ‘contests’ or dilemmas that have to be fought out. First, between more globalization or putting up more walls; between democracy and autocracy, to see who is better at dealing with crises; between privacy and liberty, as countries mine their citizens’ data; and between continuing society’s harsh inequalities or expanding the welfare state, introducing universal basic income, and making education more accessible.

Do you see any other dilemmas taking shape? How do you make the right decisions going forward? Let us know your thoughts below.

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.

Monday 25 May | Save the date: Climate Depression on June 9

How do you cope with climate change and ecocide?

Despite the current pandemic, we still find ourselves in an ongoing climate crisis. New terms like climate depression and eco-anxiety seem to indicate that society suffers from significant mental health issues as a result. Jaap van der Stel, lector at Leiden University of Applied Sciences, will share his views in an online YouTube lecture followed by a live Q&A on Zoom on Tuesday June 9 (in Dutch).

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.

Friday 22 May | The best technology podcasts to listen to in 2020

“As interest in the technology industry continues to grow, a sizeable cottage industry of tech podcasts has risen alongside it, from games and gadgets related geekery, to practical advice on getting sh*t done.”

Podcasts are an increasingly popular way to stay up to date on the topics you love, with no shortage of great options, from deep industry insights to news roundups and deeper dives on the science and tech side of things. Especially in these times podcasts can provide education, inspiration and relaxation. Check out this link for the best technology podcasts!

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.

Thursday 21 May | The corona app: solution to our problems or a big mistake?

Several weeks ago the government organised an ‘appathon’ with the aim of launching a corona tracing app in record time. Experts complimented the government for the transparency of the process, but were sceptical: the app had to be developed in a rush, and essential privacy concerns were not thought through. It turned out that there was no company participating in the ‘appathon’ that could live up to the safety standards. It has been quiet ever since…

But what are the main issues when developing such an app? Is it possible to reconcile the functionality of a tracing app with our right to privacy? Will there be an app in the end? We asked dr. Seda Gürses, Associate Professor in the Department of Multi-Actor Systems at the Faculty of Technology Policy and Management. What do you think, should we use an app to trace people infected by the virus?

Are you still full of questions or ideas after watching this video? Join the discussion on corona apps on May 26th, hosted by Matthew Dennis (TBM), and organised by our colleagues at X TU Delft.

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.

Wednesday 20 May | Wunderbaum: Stop Acting Now

Now that we’ve recovered from the first corona shock, we can tentatively have a first glance at a possible world after corona. The theatre company Wunderbaum seems to have the gift of foresight, as the film ‘Stop Acting Now!’ seemlessly fits the current situation. The film shows the attempts of the collective’s actors in changing the world on their own micro level. For example: one of the actors opens a ‘tear bar’ to fight society’s stressful omnipresent positivity culture. With a big fat wink to the pre-corona society and a lot of irony, from which we might even learn going into a post-corona era.

The film is in Dutch with English subtitles.

Studium Generale created a Corona Care Package to make #StayingIn as pleasant as possible. In the following weeks we will share videos, blogs, articles and podcasts within four focus areas: Mental Health, The World After Corona, Arts & Culture and other online events.