Zoönomic Curriculum
The Zoönomic Curriculum is intended for participants who are interested in starting their own zoöp or who want to become an active member of a Zoönomic Foundation. The programme is developed around the Zoönomic Method and trains the participants in the process of starting and developing a zoöp.
30 April 2021 14:00 - 14:00
**Structure**
The participants will be divided in four groups, each of which will focus on a different proto-zoöp throughout the process. In each session, one of the steps of the Zoönomic Method is applied and studied in the context of one of the four proto-zoöps, led by the group belonging to that proto-zoöp. In the second half of the session, each group applies the questions and findings to their own proto-zoöp, after which we round off with a plenary discussion. Each session is introduced by a researcher, artist or practitioner whose work relates to the issues at hand.
Background material will be provided and sent to all participants.
Session 1 - Demarcating - Friday 30 April / 2pm - 5pm
In the first workshop session we will discuss step 1 of the Zoönomic Method: Demarcating, in which we will establish the functional boundaries of the zoöp. This process articulates the zoöp as a collective body, consisting of various living and non-living entities and structures.
Lecture by Klaas Kuitenbrouwer.
Session 2 - Observing & Sensing - Friday 21 May / 2pm - 5pm
In the second session, Observing & Sensing, we will observe the different human and more-than-human entities that together make up the zoöp. The goal is to become aware of their different life-worlds and their relationships.
Lecture by Eva Meijer (tbc).
Session 3 - Characterising - Friday 4 June / 2pm - 5pm
The third session, Characterising, involves interpreting and diagnosing the inteplay between ecological, political, economic, aesthetic and other relationships between the constituent bodies of the zoöp. This leads to an assessment of possible interventions in the zoöp.
Lecture by Arjen Mulder.
Session 4 - Intervening - Friday 18 June / 2pm - 5pm
The fourth and final session is centred around the practice of Intervening, the final step of the Zoönomic Method. Different interventions first support a process of local ecological regeneration, and in the longer term, changes in the larger operational sphere of the organisation.
Lecture by Jacco van Uden and Kim Poldner.
**Who is it for?**
The curriculum is developed for a core group of 15 to 20 participants and a larger group of interested spectators. The participants can be aspiring members of a Zoönomic Foundation or people who would like to be otherwise active in zoöps or proto-zoöps. These participants preferably have relevant expertise in one of the following domains: ecology, organisational transformation, (post-human) philosophy. In addition, anyone can follow this curriculum as a spectator. The sessions will be broadcast through a live stream.
**Tasks of the Zoönomic Foundation**
The primary task of the Zoönomic Foundation is to represent within the board of the zoöp the voices and interests of the non-human life in the domain of the zoöp. Practically, the Zoönomic Foundation helps the zoöp to translate these interests into organisational decisions that contribute to ecological regeneration and quality of life of the whole multispecies community that is the zoöp.
The general framework for doing this is provided by the Zoönomic Method.
The Zoönomic Foundation brings special expertise in working with the four steps of the zoönomic method to the board of the zoöp; executing the steps of the Zoönomic Foundation is the work to be done by the organisation as a whole.
**Registration**
If you're interested in starting a zoop or working as part of a Zoönomic Foundation and you want to follow this curriculum, please send a short mail to zoöp@hetnieuweinstituut.nl and indicate your expertise. Please be aware that you will be expected to participate in all four sessions. Registration is free of cost.
If you want to follow the curriculum as a spectator, please use the ticket link below to register, or click here.
Tools
Padlet and Zoom
Findings, questions, files and links can be shared in padlet.com which allows all the participants to build a collective knowledge base to collaborate. All participants should register at padlet.com which is free of cost and fully compliant with GDPR.
**General time frame of a session**
- 2pm - lecture + questions
- 2.40pm - work session - introduction + tour + presentation of findings of one of the groups
- 3.25pm - Q&A
- 3.40pm - short break
- 3.50pm - work session - working / executing the step on the three other proto-zoöp sites. Members of presenting group will split up to assist other groups
- 4.30pm - plenary presentation of findings, discussion
- 5pm - wrap up
**Zoöp**
This curriculum is part of the zoöp project. Zoöp is the name for an organisational model for cooperation between humans and non-human life that safeguards the interests of all zoë (Greek for 'life'). The zoöp model makes the interests of non-human life part of organisational decision-making.