The Parliament of Things

For twenty-one days The Parliament of Things is building a parliamentary décor in the Stadsschouwburg, as a monument to a new kind of democracy for a new era. There is a programme of activities and debates. Some argue that humanity is now living in the Anthropocene – an epoch in which human activity affects the earth. A new epoch comes with a new kind of politics. For three weeks, the Stadsschouwburg will be the place where post-humanist politics can be put into practice.

Installation: The Parliament of Things

Come to the new democracy exhibition. How do you give a thing, plant or animal a voice? How does an interpreter or a guardian formulate the interests of wood or deer? What does a Parliament of Things look like, and what does it say about the relationship between human beings and nature?

Sat 3.6 till Sun 25 June

free entrance

Talk show: our post-human democracy in 60 minutes

Post-human democracy will be set up during three talk shows on three consecutive Tuesdays. What would happen if people were to share political power with non-human things? What if animals, plants, objects, and technologies could represent their own interests?

Tue 6 June, Tue 20 June

(the talkshow of 13 June has been canceled)

presentation: 8 pm, aftertalk 9 pm

tickets: € 7,50

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Sanne Bloemink receives

The writer and journalist Sanne Bloemink will be hosting several guests during the Parliament of Things. They will discuss the various aspects of democracy in the Anthropocene epoch, and selected film clips will be shown.

programme:

4 June on morality - philosopher René ten Bos

7 June : on plants - biologist Norbert Peeters

12 June: on the spiritual landscape - explorer Arita Baaijens

15 June: on the forest - Forestry Commission philosopher Matthijs Schouten

19 June: on animals - visual artist / philosopher Eva Meijer

21 June: on collectivity - assistant professor political philosophie Bernice Bovenkerk

time: 4 pm

free entrance

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Workshop: Handbook for the Anthropocene

An open workshop developing on a handbook for the Anthropocene epoch. Come, get into dialogue and help to write the handbook, with the researcher and documentary maker Jasmine De Bruycker, architect Lorna Gibson, designer Emma Levie and graphic designer Nienke Schachtschabel. Chaired by Joost Janmaat and Thijs Middeldorp from Partizan Publik. 

Tue 6 June - Thu 8 June

free entrance

The Parliament in session

The first session of the Parliament of Things in its new parliamentary decor, chaired by theatre maker Lotte van den Berg. Is it possible for people to speak on behalf of the things and animals around us? Is it possible to make decisions in their name? 

22 June, 3 - 7 pm

Price: 10, - including a meal

more information and tickets