Why?
The impact of global and geopolitical crises on European societies is widely felt. Common reactions to these are a growing societal divide and a rise in anti-democratic positions. The public imaginary is rife with a rhetoric dominated by the erection of walls, the demarcation of territory and claims of ownership. Crushed between polarised camps are vulnerable members of our societies – and thus humanity itself. Individuals with their complex identities are categorised into groups whose belonging, right to existence even, is called into question.
More than a lecture series: a counter-imaginary space to reductive binary thinking
Understanding the realities of diversity and change as given raises questions: How exactly are our individual experiences in the social world shaped? And what is that social world that impacts us: A mesh or mosaic of influences? Which of them become the “ties that bind us”, that dominate our experience and perspective? We need to reckon with these questions if we want to engage with others in a meaningful way. Addressing them requires not only analytical skills but also an open mind and imagination. Join us and meet inpirational scholars, authors, artists and critical thinkers – speakers who open up counter-imaginary spaces that challenge reductive concepts of belonging and conviviality.
At VUB, you're free to ask questions about everything, to make up your own mind and to change your mind. We invite you to join us in the Ties That Bind Us lectures, readings, performances and debates and to explore new perspectives on belonging, conviviality, solidarity and diversity in a changing world.
Save the dates
Next on the agenda of the Ties That Bind Us series:
- 17 February 2025 – Manuelina Maria Duarte Cândido – Museologist - From Nouvelle muséologie to Social Museology: Current Practices in Insurgent Museologies
- 3 March 2025 – Tim Ingold – Social Anthropologist – Manifesto for a New Humanism
- 6 May 2025 – Caryl Phillips – Writer – Another Man in the Street: Reading and Conversation
Do you want to receive invitations for upcoming Ties That Bind Us events?
The VUB scholars behind the series
“The series was born out of the observation that our world appears to be deeply, and increasingly, divided. We are not the only ones to notice this; when it comes to politics, for example, one is pressured to choose a side, even in conflicts that are highly complex. People seem to forget that there are grey zones, a great variety of experiences and in most cases more than two opposing positions. In our series, we want to return to these grey areas and highlight the value of embracing the complexity of human experiences."
"We often feel the pressure to prove ourselves and distinguish ourselves at the expense of others. Paradoxically, this means we almost always have to choose a side to belong to a specific group and sound ‘stronger’. However, these are usually superficial constructions, where the whole package – What does the group stand for? How does it communicate? – is perhaps adopted too quickly. I hope our series can make a difference here. To enable dialogue again, without imposing a pre-determined identity on anyone.”
"Walls, whether metaphoric or tangible, not only separate humans but also distance us from the broader web of life: the animals, plants and ecosystems with which we share an increasingly vulnerable planet. This series challenges the nature/culture divide that makes us often indifferent to the ecological challenges we face with growing urgency. Some of our speakers will encourage us to consider what communicating and co-existing might mean beyond anthropocentric perspectives."
The world needs you
This initiative is part of VUB's public programme: a programme for everyone who believes that scientific knowledge sharing, critical thinking and dialogue are an important first step to create impact in the world.
As an Urban Engaged University, VUB aims to be a driver of change in the world. With our academic edcuational programmes and innovative research, we contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and to making a difference locally and globally.
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