The new academic year has started quite a while ago already, the summer holidays seem long gone — so it is time for the first Connective Conversation of this year! And this is a special one: At Fontys Academy of the Arts, we have decided to connect the event with a new initiative, in collaboration with our Global Engagement Team: The Reflective House!
In “Beyond the Headlines: Understanding the Middle East”, anthropologist and arabist Leo Kwarten will discuss his encounters in the Middle East: In search of the story behind the familiar headlines of violence and war, Leo Kwarten will take us on a journey through the Middle East. He published a book where he describes his encounters with terrorists, survivors, converts, expats, ayatollahs, brothel madams, fixers, and even a president wanted by the International Criminal Court. Leo is a trained Anthropologist and Arabist. He works as a journalist, researcher, and advisor on the Middle East. For many years, he is a trainer at the Clingendael Institute, diplomatic academy of the Netherlands and think-tank.
His talk will be followed by an open conversation with students, teachers, and researchers. The event will be hosted by the wonderful Eva van Duijnhoven (Global Engagement) and Danae Theodoridou (Professorship Artistic Connective Practices & Master Performing Public Space).
The Reflective House
The Reflective House is a new initiative at the Academy of the Arts, co-organised by the professorship Artistic Connective Practices and the Global Engagement Team.
Often we feel connected to crises and conflicts that happen around the world, but we don’t know where to go with our questions and thoughts. We notice that students increasingly want to engage in conversations about current events and are becoming more active in activism, especially because our international student community is frequently personally affected by global events such as wars and natural disasters. The impact on well-being and the ability to study is enormous, particularly when it is difficult to understand — and when you are constantly confronted with it.
In the Reflective House, we are keen to learn about these different contexts and issues together, create space for critical dialogue and thinking and explore how to bring these discussions into our artistic practices. This is not about solving any of these complex issues, but rather to share dealing and working with them.
Falk Hübner 