Interview with James C. Scott at Masters of Intervention IV

This seasons’ Masters of Intervention series culminated in the last lecture hosted by Yale sterling professor James C. Scott.  The lecture focused on his recent research on the hill people of Zomia in South East Asia. Scott presented the argument that the practice of living dispersed and mobilised, which historically was all coded as being…

Final Presentations at Amsterdam City Hall

Last week the university minor program ‘Social Engineering in the Amsterdam Metropolis’ reached it’s ‘official’ tipping point at the Amsterdam City Hall. The students presented the results of their 16 weeks lasting full time research trajectory to the mayor of Amsterdam Job Cohen and an elaborate jury of professional social engineers. The jury consisted of…

Intervention: De Kast van Noord: An exchange closet

by Koen Elzerman Students Joeri Jörg and Koen Elzerman initiated a place where people can leave items (clothes, books, sleeping-bags and domestic products) which they do not need anymore, while other people still might be happy with it. In this manner people can contribute to the daily-struggle that people have to cope with their limited…

Intervention: The Floating Market

How can old and new communities be connected through a new form of social architecture? The 4 students of the Overhoeks/Van der Pek case researched the possibilities of improving social ties between two neighbourhoods in Amsterdam:  Overhoeks and Van der Pek. The former is being developed at the moment, the latter is and ‘old, traditional…

Intervention: Making the invisible, visible: The Secret of North

by Flora Lysen Is there a way to involve neighborhood residents with a developing city park? The 4 students of the ‘Green Team’ of the minor ‘Social Engineering in the Amsterdam Metropolis’ researched the development of the new ‘Noorderpark’, an urban park that is now being developed into one of the largest city parks of…

Social Engineering in the Amsterdam Metropolis 2008

The program Social Engineering in the Amsterdam Metropolis 2009 is entering the final, decisive stage. Tonight we are very pleased to welcome Yale sterling professor James C. Scott who will be hosting the last Masters of Intervention session of this season. On tuesday next week our student action teams will be presenting their research results…

Yes, we can, intervene!

In the fourth section of Social Engineering in the Amsterdam Metropolis all came down to the ‘can do’ mentality of the students. In this section the participants were asked to sketch different future scenario’s on their case and to identify the necessary ingredients and drivers which ultimately make their interventions autarc and  sustainable. Here are…

Masters of Intervention # 4 with James C. Scott

The University of Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Municipality, Ymere and the Office for Social Engineering present: Masters of Intervention Social Engineering in the Amsterdam Metropolis Thursday June 11 2009 20.00, drinks afterwards Grote Zaal, De Balie Just City James C. Scott To what extent do rules and standards lead to a just society? Planned utopias proved…

Alex Scordelis at yesterdays Masters of Intervention

Here are the first impressions of yesterdays Masters of Intervention lecture with Alex Scordelis from Improv Everywhere at De Balie in Amsterdam. As you know, we are not only engaging in thinking and talking, but we are also willing to take action on our way to a braver society. And the action is about to…

Provocation, Information, Facilitation!

After another month of hard work and research, the students presented the results of the third section of Social Engineering in the Amsterdam Metropole. The section was called ‘strategies for intervention’ and our students did come up with a whole spectrum of innovative strategies for tackling the wicked problems they are dealing with. Here are…

I teach you…the Overman!

Under the foundations of Badhuis Noord a important discovery was made. A prophecy long considered as make-believe has returned to it’s righteous owners, the people. Zarathustra says…by Floor Lysen.

To all agents of change!

What are the do’s and dont’s for bringing about a ‘Happy City’? Who or what are the agents of change, except capital and massmedia? Nader Vossoughian and the participants of his workshop at Masters of Intervention are doing the kickoff with their manifesto for sustainable change… For Nader Vossoughian one of the key elements is…