CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
SCHOOL OF TRANSNATIONAL ACTIVISM
Debates about populism, the crisis of democracy and the backlash against globalisation are all raging. But very few people seem to be asking two essential groups of questions: in what ways is the nation-state changing and in what ways has it been surpassed? And what are the most effective political forms to find civic agency in this new context?
Nation-states are not disappearing as some globalisation theorists may have suggested in other decades, but neither are they the best political forms for our future. Fearing our collective incapacity to solve global challenges, citizens retract to the known container of the nation-state; but this only makes the problem worse. What comes after nationstates and how do we get there? This is the question the School of Transnational Activism is aiming to answer.
European Alternatives is collaborating with a group of leading thinkers and activists to launch the School for Transnational Activism, a reflective and action-oriented space, gathering participants across disciplines to experiment and explore how to articulate and enact a radically democratic vision of politics beyond the nation-state.
The School takes inspiration from systemic, citizens-led alternatives and movements for social justice, democratic participation and economic transformation. It seeks to support the next generation of activists, to inject disruptive and practice-based ideas in the public debate across the world and inspire others that only a move beyond the nation-state can create the conditions for systemic change in the fields of politics, economy, ecology, education and culture for people living in and outside of Europe.
THE CURRICULUM
The workshops will combine lectures, participatory courses, open spaces and public events. We will mix expert input and theoretical reflection with hands-on experience, peer-to-peer learning and sharing of concrete examples of innovative transnational initiatives. In this first year, we will create together a model for the School that will shape its future! We are organising a series of three workshops for 25 activists aiming to:
Explore and examine the ways in which citizens, social movements, political parties, protest groups, trade unions and others already act beyond borders and foster a new vision of Europe beyond the nation-state;
Build the in-person relationships that can become a community of knowledge and practice articulating and strengthening an ambitious discourse against the failing status quo and nationalist retrenchment;
Communicate the ideas we generate together through articles, podcasts or videos and directly organise a number of public sessions that can engage a wider audience at the Transeuropa Festival 2019 in Palermo;
Who should apply?
We aim to bring together dynamic and enthusiastic activists from across Europe and from diverse movements to engage with and reflect on a wide breadth of issues which relate to the crisis of national politics and society. The success and interest of the school depends on you, and so we are looking for participants full of ideas, experiences, stories and projects to share.
Would you like to be part of it? Then, we have a couple of requirements. You must be:
- Over 18 years old.
- Proficient in English.
- Available on all the dates of the workshops (20-23rd June in Warsaw, 12-15th September in Rijeka and 7-10th November in Palermo).
- Track record of activism in or reflection on key topics such as migration, citizenship, feminism, gender, climate justice, data and digital rights.
- Committed to contribute to the program of the Transeuropa Festival 2019 in Palermo, in forms of presentations, debates, workshops, installations, based on the content co-produced in the workshops.
The course is offered free of charge for selected participants. Travel expenses to and from the training venues are not covered by European Alternatives. We can offer a limited number of partial or fully funded scholarships for covering travel to and from the workshop venues, which you may ask for in the online form. Other costs, such as accommodation and food costs will be fully covered. An invitation letter can be issued to facilitate the delivery of visas to attend the workshops.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://euroalter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Call-School-of-Transnational-activism-2019.pdf