The Parliament at school

On 24 November 2020, Bruno Latour was awarded the Spinozalens prize in Amsterdam. In the run up to the award ceremony, the educational programme The Parliament at school was organised for pupils of year 4 in higher general secondary education (havo) and year 5 in pre-university education (vwo).

Via the Association of Philosophy Teachers in Secondary Education (VFVO), philosophy teachers were offered a unique work programme during the autumn of 2020. The central element of this programme was Bruno Latours call for political representation for non-humans, including all residents of the North Sea.

Latour’s theory was introduced on the basis of the case of the cargo ship MSC ZOE that lost at least 345 containers off Ameland on 1 January 2019. This case was the leitmotiv of the lessons. What are the consequences of this disaster for the sea? How does it affect people, animals and things? And, how do we think about the relationship between humans and “nature”?

More about the programme can be found here. (Sorry this information is only in Dutch)

ONLINE MEET & GREET with Bruno Latour & pupils

On November 24 2020, the participating pupils met Bruno Latour during an online meet & greet, moderated by philosopher Stephan Sander from NEMO’s De Studio. After a short introduction by philosophy teacher and chairman of the Association of Philosophy Teachers in Secondary Education (VFVO) Harm Tiggelaar, the students entered into a conversation with Latour on the basis of a number of critical questions they had formulated. A report of this meeting will follow!

The Parliament at school was established in collaboration with the International Spinozaprijs Foundation, the Embassy of the North Sea and Building Conversation and was supported by the board of the Association of Philosophy Teachers in Secondary Education (VFVO).