Content:

The Minor New Earth questions sustainability assumptions like the circular economy and investigates fair development in the aftermath of climate change. It focuses on design and cultural production as political acts. We have never been here before. This is unknown territory. We have abandoned the planet that gave rise to our species. Now, behold the emerging geological age: restless, hot-tempered, and volatile. There is no going back. This is our new house. The question now is: How do you maintain this hazardous planet? Also, how do we evolve into a new species suitable for the New Earth? Students enrolled in New Earth will learn how to be commoners: creative practitioners who contribute to shared value-creation processes. Your immediate environment will serve as the foundation for anchoring your practice in bioregional areas. Our goal is to learn how to help build equitable, resilient, and thriving multi-species communities! In short, New Earth is an interdisciplinary minor that aims to bring together viewpoints from the economy, culture, technology, sociology, nature, and environment. As a participating student, you will be taught how to ground yourself in geological and biological time. You will begin by learning the colonial-capitalist cosmology that brought us here. For planetary stewardship, we rely on local knowledge. We hone our position in complex, murky climate politics. We also seek to use ecological thought in our daily lives. You will achieve this by setting your own objectives and assignments and developing your own working methods based on relevant theories and analytical tools.

 

Format:

This program is conducted in person (IRL), with a limited number of online sessions selected by the teaching team.

 

Keywords:

Changemakers, Commoners, Eco-social, Planetary Stewardship, Earth.

 

Learning Outcomes:

• You can use your imagination, creativity, and expression to reframe complex social issues.
• You can collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop, test, improve, and implement projects that give the public a new perspective on their surroundings.
• You can experiment and take risks.
• You can collaborate with peers, individuals, groups, and cultures beyond WdKA.
• You effectively engage stakeholders in responsible processes and foster a sense of community through non-extractive, reciprocal communication.
• You can analyse current and future systems, document research processes, collaborate with partners, and present results to a variety of audiences in a professional and quality manner.
• You can learn to be open-minded, to let new information influence you, and to help your work improve through iterative processes.
• You can define your own position and focus on New Earth's themes.

What we offer:

•  Guest lecturers
• Immersive workshops introducing eco-social issues
•  Interdisciplinary and experimental modes of working
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) and collaborative work processes.
   

What we expect:

This minor is designed for students who are actively interested in environmental and sustainable issues and who want to broaden their creative competencies, knowledge, and skills during the current transition to a more resilient and equitable society. We expect students to exhibit curiosity, courage, initiative, and critical engagement.

 

Assessment and Deliverables:

The assignments are research-based and comprise:

• A writing component, typically as an essay or another textual format.
• The artistic component takes the shape of an interdisciplinary artistic project
• Public presentations in the WdKA environment may be included as part of the artistic projects created in this course

Learning Outcomes:

• You can use your imagination, creativity, and expression to reframe complex social issues.
• You can collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop, test, improve, and implement projects that give the public a new perspective on their surroundings.
• You can experiment and take risks.
• You can collaborate with peers, individuals, groups, and cultures beyond WdKA.
• You effectively engage stakeholders in responsible processes and foster a sense of community through non-extractive, reciprocal communication.
• You can analyse current and future systems, document research processes, collaborate with partners, and present results to a variety of audiences in a professional and quality manner.
• You can learn to be open-minded, to let new information influence you, and to help your work improve through iterative processes.
• You can define your own position and focus on New Earth's themes.

This minor is open to WdKA students. Students from other institutes are required to send a portfolio and motivation. You will receive more information about this after you have registered for this minor. We advise students from other institutes to register at least one month before the deadline. The admission procedure takes at least two weeks. In case you are not accepted into the minor, you might need some time to register for another minor.

Assessment and Deliverables:

The assignments are research-based and comprise:

• A writing component, typically as an essay or another textual format.
• The artistic component takes the shape of an interdisciplinary artistic projec
• Public presentations in the WdKA environment may be included as part of the artistic projects created in this course

Are you a student from another educational institution and you want to take a minor at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, you can apply in 2 steps as follows:

1)     Register for the minor of your choice via the blue button Enroll. You can find this button at the top right of the minor's page.

Download and fill in the learning agreement

Submit this learning agreement to the Exam Board of your study programme.

Once the Board of Examiners has given its approval, please register for the minor in step 2 no later than 23 may 2025

 

2)    After approval, register in OSIRIS Aanmelding of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences via the link below (create an account first).

           https://osiris.hr.nl/osiris_aanmeld_hrprd/WelkomPagina.do?proces=KOM2509&opleiding=MINOR-WDK-VT+00

Part of the registration process is to upload the following documents:

-   The learning agreement signed by you and by your institution;

-   A scan or photo of your passport or ID card;

You will receive a message from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences whether your application has been positively assessed or not.

In OSIRIS Aanmelding, you must also upload the Evidence Paid Tuition Fee (BBC) for the academic year in which you want to follow the minor. You can request the BBC from your institution after you have signed or issued an authorization for the payment of the tuition fees for the academic year in which you want to take the minor.

You will receive a message from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences when your application has been approved.