SG Highlights | World at War

Every week until the start of the second semester, we will post a selection of highlights from the past year so you can enjoy our events from home, as on-campus events are currently not possible. Stay safe and healthy and best of luck with your exams!

For our previous highlights, please take a look at our blogs.

World at War

In this series of talks, different thinkers explore the meaning of conflict in our times. No longer a ‘great game’ of nation states declaring war, invading, and taking land, global aggression in our time takes place through trade, hacking, and proxies. Far from home, or hidden online, it remains largely unseen by us in the Netherlands. And yet ‘war’ in the sense of conflict is everywhere. Immigration, natural resource extractivismthe war on terror, the war on corona, the rise of the Chinese economy, climate change, and a multitude of cultural conflicts beg the question: what is war in the 21st century? And why do we fight?

Monday: Conflict Resources

Dutch-Congolese author Alphonse Muambi provides first-hand knowledge and experience of the past and present conflicts in resource rich countries like Congo, Niger, and Mali.

Tuesday: The Future of War

War and technology have always been intertwined. But our high-tech age is drastically changing the landscape and the rules of warfare.

Wednesday: The Rise of China

What are the chances of a war between China and the West? What would such an open conflict look like, and how would it impact us in Europe, sandwiched as we are between the two global superpowers of China and the US?

Thursday: Capitalism, Racism, and Fascism: The Roots of Violence

Our society seems trapped in a system that on the one hand builds fantastic new technologies, and on the other hand destroys its own environment with great violence. Why do we thrive in so much conflict and not in peace? Are these conflicts somehow linked, and is there a way out?

Friday: Prometheus’ Problems | Should an engineer work for the military?

Can an algorithm be racist? If a self-driving car causes an accident, who is responsible? These are the kinds of questions that are discussed at our brand new philosophical café Prometheus’ Problems! At this event, students, professors and external experts will exchange thoughts about philosophical and ethical themes related to engineering, modern technology and its impact on society.

 

SG Highlights | Decolonising Knowledge

Every week until the start of the second semester, we will post a selection of highlights from the past year so you can enjoy our events from home, as on-campus events are currently not possible. Stay safe and healthy and best of luck with your exam preparations!

For our previous highlights, please take a look at our blogs.

Decolonising Knowledge

This series of events explores the legacy of colonial power structures in society.  Decolonisation, roughly put, is a social movement and academic project that seeks to empower knowledge, cultures, and peoples marginalized by the  legacy of colonialism and its power structures. This movement also reflects critically on the historical role of universities and Western knowledge production in relation to colonialism. It encompasses issues of race, gender, land ownership, ways of knowing, reparations, resource extraction, rights and representation, and more. 

Monday: What is decolonisation?

For better or worse, Western European culture has managed to impact and dominate much of the world for centuries. In this introductory lecture, learn about the decolonisation movement and the peoples and cultures it seeks to empower.

Tuesday: Decolonising Design & Engineering

Applying the perspective of decoloniality to design and engineering provides a way to rethink the Western model of how we shape and give meaning to our world.

Wednesday: TU Delft and the Colonial History of the Dutch East Indies

At the turn of the 20th century approximately one-third of all engineers that finished their studies in Delft went to the Dutch East Indies (present day Indonesia) to pursue a career in the Dutch colony. In this way they became part of the Dutch colonial context. Why were these engineers so well-fitted to the Dutch colonial project?

Thursday: How To Combine Ancient and Modern Wisdom

Humans have survived and thrived around the world for tens of thousands of years, using various ingenious technologies suited to their environment. What sort of traditional knowledge is still available to us?

Friday: (De)kolonisatie en de universiteit

Welke rol speelden universiteiten in de koloniale maatschappij? Wat is daar nu de erfenis van, en hoe gaan universiteiten om met de roep om dekolonisatie?

Saturday: Decolonising Sustainability: When Engineering Meets Indigenous Philosophies and Resistance

Indigenous protectors and decolonial researchers present important arguments on the shortcomings of sustainability as it is practiced today.

Sunday: Non-Western Narratives and Experiences with Climate Change

On the experiences of indigenous peoples and cultures around the world who face the worst consequences of climate change and environmental racism.

SG Highlights | Slavernijgeschiedenis van Nederland

This week’s Highlights cover our series of lectures on the history of Dutch slavery, which was offered in Dutch only. Next week we will be back with our English series on Decolonising Knowledge, exploring the legacy of colonial power structures in society. 

For our previous highlights, please take a look at our blogs.

Slavernijgeschiedenis van Nederland

Na een eeuw van relatieve stilte rondom de slavernijgeschiedenis van Nederland, is er met name in het afgelopen decennium een enorme groei in aandacht voor het onderwerp gekomen. Studium Generale brengt in samenwerking met Theater de Veste een serie van vijf lezingen over het slavernij- en koloniaal verleden van Nederland.

In 2002 vindt de installatie van een nationaal monument voor het slavernijverleden plaats en in 2007 wordt het onderwerp in de Nederlandse canon opgenomen. In de afgelopen jaren is het werk van onderzoekers, activisten en kunstenaars die hier al jaren aandacht aan besteden, meer gemeengoed aan het worden. Toch blijft de algemene kennis op dit gebied achter, mede door de gebrekkige aandacht in het onderwijs voor deze verhalen.

Maandag: Historisch overzicht, incl. 400 jaar WIC

De eerste lezing is van Karwan Fatah-Black (1981), hij trapt deze reeks af met een historisch overzicht van 400 jaar slavernijgeschiedenis en de West Indische Compagnie. Fatah-Black is universitair docent Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis aan de Universiteit Leiden. Hij is lid van De Jonge Akademie van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen en betrokken bij het wetenschapsnetwerk Landelijke Onderzoeksagenda Slavernijverleden.

Dinsdag: Economische belangen en gevolgen van de slavernij

De tweede lezing in deze reeks is van Pepijn Brandon (1980) over de Economische belangen en gevolgen van de slavernij. Plantageslavernij was een economisch systeem. De koffie, suiker, tabak, indigo en specerijen die slaafgemaakte mensen in de Amerika’s en Azië produceerden, waren bedoeld voor Europese markten waar zij inkomsten opleverden voor een lange reeks economische spelers. Ook de mensenhandel zelf was ingericht op winst. Welke erfenissen liet slavernij na aan het Nederland van vandaag?

Woensdag: Slavernij in de Oost, incl. 400 jaar Banda

De derde lezing in deze reeks is van Matthias van Rossum (1984) over de Slavernij in de Oost, inclusief 400 jaar Banda. Van Rossum is senior onderzoeker bij het Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis. Hij schreef veelvuldig over het Nederlands-Aziatische slavernijverleden.

Donderdag: Slavernijverleden in het Rijksmuseum

De vierde lezing in deze reeks is van Eveline Sint Nicolaas (1971) over het Slavernijverleden in het Rijksmuseum. De tentoonstelling Slavernij die tot eind augustus 2021 in het Rijksmuseum was te zien, nam de bezoeker aan de hand van tien persoonlijke verhalen mee door ruim 250 jaar Nederlandse koloniale geschiedenis. Eveline vertelt in haar lezing over de totstandkoming van deze tentoonstelling, de reacties op de tentoonstelling en wat er op de langere termijn zal worden gedaan met de verworven kennis en contacten.

Vrijdag: Herinneringscultuur & hedendaagse impact

De vijfde en laatste lezing in deze reeks is van Nancy Jouwe (1967) over de Herinneringscultuur & Hedendaagse impact van de slavernij. Jouwe is cultuurhistoricus en werkt als freelance onderzoeker, publiek spreker, publicist en docent. Ze doceert bij de Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht en doet onderzoek voor het publieksgeschiedenisproject Mapping Slavery.

Zaterdag: Herinneringen van oud Suriname | Kolonialisme toen en nu

Keti Koti, ofwel ‘gebroken ketenen’. Dat is de viering van de Surinaamse afschaffing van de slavernij. In deze lezing leer je meer over de koloniale geschiedenis van het land en de blijvende effecten ervan op de hedendaagse maatschappij. De lezing werd verzorgd door Tessa Leuwsha, rechtstreeks uit Suriname.

SG Highlights | Week 1

Every week until the start of the second semester, we will post a selection of highlights from the past year so you can enjoy our events from home, as on-campus events are currently not possible. Stay safe and healthy and have a wonderful new year!

For previous weeks, please take a look at our blogs.

Monday: Van Leeuwenhoeklezing | Onder de huid van schilderijen

Vlak onder het zichtbare oppervlak van een schilderij, letterlijk enkele micrometers, ligt een schat aan informatie over de kunstenaar. Denk aan de onderschildering, de eerste opzet van het schilderij, maar ook veranderingen van de compositie tijdens het schilderproces. In sommige gevallen gaat onder het oppervlak zelfs een tweede, geheel andere compositie schuil.

Tuesday: The Future of Universities | The International Campus

Dutch universities are attracting more and more international students. The growing international economy and information-based society is here to stay, and so is internationalisation of university students. What should this look like in the future?

Wednesday: Prometheus’ Problems | What if technology decides for us?

Technology taking over control is not new. But what if we lose autonomy to these machines? Can machines make moral decisions? Is this acceptable? And where do we draw the line?

Thursday: De Groene Live Delft | Een ander internet

Tijdens deze editie van De Groene Live heroverwegen we de emanciperende potentie van het internet, op zoek naar een egalitaire digitale samenleving.

Friday: Global Philosophies and the SDGs | Ubuntu, Buen Vivir, and Gross National Happiness

Three continents, three different philosophies: Ubuntu, Buen Vivir, and Gross National Happiness. How do they look at sustainability, inequality, and the other challenges of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals?

Saturday: Environmental Crises | Crossing Policy Domains and Communicating the Urgency

We are racing towards a radically different future. One way or another, the environmental crises we face will increasingly impact every facet of life from jobs to food, energy to equality. We discuss what policies are needed for a safer future and roadmaps for how they may come about.

SG Highlights | Week 52

Every week during the Holidays we will post a selection of highlights from the past year so you can enjoy our events from home, since we are currently unable to offer you these in person. Stay safe and healthy and have a wonderful new year!

Monday: Van Leeuwenhoeklezing | De energietransitie in de woonomgeving

Rondom 1960 hadden we in Nederland een energietransitie: de overgang van kolen naar aardgas. Je hoefde niemand van de voordelen te overtuigen. Nu hebben we weer een energietransitie: we moeten van het aardgas af. Daarom verschijnen er windmolens in onze achtertuin, veranderen weilanden in zonnecelvelden en moeten we onze huizen voor 50.000 euro isoleren anders werkt die warmtepomp niet.

Tuesday: The Future of Universities | The Digital Campus

What is or should a university be in the 21st century? Is it just a factory of knowledge, delivering professionals to the market? Or is it an institution of social and cultural value with a responsibility towards its students and society?

Wednesday: Prometheus’ Problems | Neurotypical or Neurodiverse?

For this special edition during the first TU Delft Diversity Week, we have teamed up with the Diversity Office to bring you a panel discussion on moral questions related to ‘neurodiversity’, a term that refers to the variety that exists in the ways our brains work.

Thursday: De Groene Live Delft | Jouw data als verdienmodel

De invloed van Big Tech op ons dagelijkse leven merken we misschien niet direct, maar die is gigantisch. Onze digitale gegevens die we deels vrijwillig afstaan worden gebruikt voor algoritmische sturing en manipulatie van ons koopgedrag, wat we lezen of  hoe we gaan stemmen bij verkiezingen. In het surveillancekapitalisme zijn big data de grondstof geworden van een verdienmodel.

Friday: Filosofisch Café | Het Taoïsme en Confucianisme uit China

De twee grootste en meest invloedrijke filosofische stromingen uit China zijn het taoïsme en confucianisme. Ze ontstonden ongeveer gelijktijdig een paar eeuwen voor onze jaartelling, en hebben nog altijd veel invloed op het denken over het leven in China.

Saturday: Christiaan Huygens | The Father of Modern Science

Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) is one of the greats in the history of physics. Find out about his life, work, and times in this biographical lecture and interview.

SG’s Global Philosophies Lecture Series

Who am I? What is a good life? And how do you build a just society? Philosophy asks the big questions in life, but the answers of course are diverse. In the West we look to different thinkers and theories than in the East or the South. What else is there beyond Plato and Nietzsche? In this lecture series, Studium Generale will introduce you to a series of different philosophical traditions from China, India, Africa and the Americas. An acquaintance with other ways of thinking, but also with believing, seeing and feeling, though philosophy, poetry, theatre, music and other forms of art.

The opening lecture on Ubuntu, Buen Vivir, and Gross National Happiness already took place back in September, but you can watch it here on YouTube.

Still to come in this series:

POSTPONED |Tuesday, November 9th: Indigenous Philosophy  
Monday, November 15th: Chinese filosofie – het taoisme en confucianisme (in Dutch)
Tuesday, November 23rd: Indian Philosophy
Monday, December 6th: Colonialism & African Philosophy
Tuesday, December 14th: Winti: An Ancient Surinamese Religion for Modern Times
Tuesday, December 21st: Sufism: Following the Footsteps of Mystic Poet Rumi
2022: African Philosophy, pt 2

Diversity and Inclusion Week | 4-8 October 2021

The most interesting conversations and the best ideas are born when people of different backgrounds,
with different points of view and opinions, get together.

A precondition for this, though, is that everyone can be themselves and feel free and safe enough to express their thoughts. TU Delft strives to be such a safe, inclusive environment, where we cherish diversity and in so doing encourage creativity, well-being and innovation. This ambition requires courage and participation from everyone, including you. It starts with being able to talk to each other about diversity and inclusion freely, and really listening to each other. Imagine a TU Delft where you can reach your full potential, professionally as well as personally, regardless of sexual orientation, colour, way of thinking, gender, appearance, physical or mental capacity or your socio-economic background.

During this first Diversity & Inclusion Week at TU Delft, held to coincide with Diversity Day on 5 October, you can join a variation of events. Listen to specialists and people with personal experience of these issues and join in debating various themes within this topic. Panellists will discuss which opportunities they see in the area of D&I specifically at TU Delft, and you will get to hear what other organisations are doing to promote diversity and inclusivity and what challenges they encounter. Or you might become aware of your own prejudices during a non-bias training session.

We warmly invite students and staff to join the various online and hybrid events. Please visit www.tudelft.nl/diweek to register!

Diversity & Inclusion Week is being organised by the Diversity & Inclusion Office in conjunction with Studium Generale. Contributors include True-U, DEWIS, Student Onbeperkt and Outsite.

Studium Generale (SG) opent het nieuwe seizoen met een volle agenda met veel mooie programma’s op de rol. En met de opening van het Academisch jaar 2021-2022 TU Delft mogen wij jullie gelukkig weer ontvangen!
Nog wel in beperkte capaciteit, maar ook via livestream blijft het mogelijk om onze activiteiten te volgen.  Een kleine greep uit het aanbod van komend najaar:

Slavernijgeschiedenis van Nederland
Studium Generale brengt in samenwerking met Theater de Veste een serie van vijf lezingen met een mooie line-up aan sprekers. Met o.a. aandacht voor het 400-jarig bestaan van de West Indische Compagnie en de relatie van de stad Delft met slavernij.

The Lipkens Lectures
In deze nieuwe lezingenreeks duiken we samen met het Erfgoedteam van de TU Delft Library in de geschiedenis van het ingenieurschap. Wat betekende het vroeger om ingenieur te zijn? Hoe ontwikkelde de rol van technologie zich in de maatschappij, en hoe plukken we daar vandaag de dag nog steeds de vruchten van? En wat kunnen ingenieurs leren van de geschiedenis van wetenschap en technologie?

Global Philosophies
Een reeks waarin we naar de wereldproblematiek kijken door een andere bril, van filosofie en denkwijzen wereldwijd. Doel is kennismaken met andere manieren van denken van over de hele wereld en onze kennis te verbreden door middel van filosofie, poëzie, theater, muziek, en andere kunst- en cultuurvormen.

Bekijk het hele programma voor het najaar hier!

Onze activiteiten worden op diverse locaties op de campus en in de stad Delft georganiseerd, zijn vrij toegankelijk en meestal gratis. Wij nodigen studenten en geïnteresseerden van harte uit om onze lezingen, debatten, workshops bij te wonen.

Wil je onze nieuwsbrief met ons actuele programma ontvangen? Geef je mailadres dan door aan sg@tudelft.nl of kijk op:

Heb je een vraag, opmerking of idee? Schroom dan niet contact met ons op te nemen. Toch een lezing gemist?
Een groot deel van de lezingen wordt opgenomen en is beschikbaar op onze website, zodat je deze nog eens rustig kunt bekijken.

Graag tot ziens bij een van onze activiteiten!
Team SG: Yannick, Sanne, Lester, Klaas Pieter, Brigitte en Yolanda

 

Summer Programme X

Until Friday 13 August, our colleagues of X has an Xtensive and Xciting summer programme planned just for you! Are you ready for your dose of summer? Can’t wait to enjoy the sun, learn something new and have some drinks on the terrace all in one spot? X provides you with a daily shot of VitaminX!

Here is a small selection of what X has in store for you: Get your creative flow going with one-week courses such as Ceramic Jewellery or South American Dance; Dive into your Core Values with the 3-day Core Force summer Course; Improve your tennis skills with our Summer Tennis Clinics where we focus on specific techniques each lesson or Work on your strength and stamina with the ticket hours Power Yoga, Core Stability, Body Power, Spinning, MMA and more.

Check out the X website for the full programme: https://www.tudelft.nl/en/x/whats-on-offer/summer-programme

The Decolonising Knowledge series, cont’d

This series of events explores the legacy of colonial power structures in society.  

The TU Delft is beginning to support increased awareness of cultural differences, inequality, and discrimination. However, it remains a mostly male, Western oriented, white community, and there are many relevant topics and issues in the realm of identity and diversity that have yet to be broached here at the academic level. By organizing a program series introducing decolonisation to a broad audienceStudium Generale aims to increase knowledge and awareness on this topic and to provide a platform for academic and social discourse at the university.  

Decolonisation, roughly put, is a social movement and academic project that seeks to empower knowledge, cultures, and peoples marginalized by the physical and cultural effects and legacies of colonization and its power structures. This movement also reflects critically on the historical role of universities and Western knowledge production in relation to colonialism. It encompasses issues of race, gender, land ownership, ways of knowing, reparations, resource extraction, rights and representation, and more. From Wikipedia: 

Decolonisation of knowledge (also epistemic or epistemological decolonisation) is primarily an intellectual project that challenges the hegemonic Western knowledge system with its claim of universality. 

This SG series will consist of a lecture series introducing the decolonial perspective and its application in technology, education, nature, sustainability, arts, and industry. There will also be numerous satellite events; master classes, a film night, and discussion groups. Want to know more about decoloniality? We’ve prepared a list of reading and viewing materials to help you along!

Decolonising Knowledge Reading list SG TUD (Pdf file)

Past events in this series:

What is Decolonisation? | Rolando Vázquez Melken
Decolonising Design & Engineering | Rolando Vázquez Melken
Film Night: The Last African in Europe | Mo Hersi
TU Delft and the Colonial History of the Dutch East Indies | Abel Streefland
How to Combine Ancient and Modern Wisdom Today | Jamie van Lede
(De)Kolonisatie en de universiteit | Max de Ploeg
Decolonising Sustainability | Carolina Sánchez

Coming events in this series:

Herinneringen van oud Suriname: Kolonialisme toen en nu | Tessa Leuwsha 
Traditional Ecological Design | Antoin Deul
Decolonising Our Relationship With Nature | Antoin Deul
Non-Western Philosophy | TBA
Decolonial Art Workshop | TBA


Decolonisation, roughly put, is a social movement and academic project that seeks to empower knowledge, cultures, and peoples marginalized by the  legacy of colonialism and its power structures. This movement also reflects critically on the historical role of universities and Western knowledge production in relation to colonialism. It encompasses issues of race, gender, land ownership, ways of knowing, reparations, resource extraction, rights and representation, and more.  

The program will consist of a core of lecture series introducing the decolonial perspective and its application. There will also be numerous satellite events with master classes, a film night, and discussion groups. 

The Decolonising Knowledge series will be launched as pre-recorded lectures on YouTube on select Tuesdays in February, March, and May 2021. Live online discussion sessions will be organized on Tuesday evenings via VOX Delft, the open discussion platform of the TU Delft. You can join them for free through the VOX Discord server here. Download the Discord app beforehand (also free) if you want to be able to see other peoples’ video.

Need some help getting started with Discord? Here’s a manual (.PDF) with tips.