In this article you’ll read about what you missed in case you couldn’t make it at that time to the Schouwburgstraat, or follow the livestream. But don’t be too sad to have only this short excerpt; you can also watch the recording here.

Programme Chair Giles Scott-Smith welcomed Dr. Miriam Meissner (Assistant Professor at Maastricht University) as the speaker for this on-campus/online event in the lecture hall of Schouwburgstraat. Since this building will be the new base for International Studies from January 2021, it was the perfect location for the Opening. Environmental issues (or issues of ‘political ecology’) are dealt with in the International Studies programme, but not in a systematic way. Such a programme should have a clear perspective on this, snd it is significant that 'Food and Environment' will be one of a set of key themes used to shape the programme's curriculum in the coming years. Miriam Meissner was an ideal speaker to Her talk, focusing on the need for everyday environmental activism, fitted perfectly with the aim to give more emphasis to environmental issues in the International Studies programme.

After the opening, Miriam Meissner held a very interesting talk on Environmental Mindfulness and Minimalism in a time of global risk. We are constantly confronted with images and narratives of global environmental destruction, yet are often unsure of the appropriate response. Minimalist lifestyles are increasingly popular, but are they simply a lifestyle trend for the well-off or do they represent something more important than that? The destructive consequences of consumption are everywhere to see, but what is actually at fault is no-limits consumerism, since consumption based on local production is a positive development. Minimalist lifestyles and the mindfulness of environmental care that goes with them can therefore contribute to bringing greater planetary wellbeing. Miriam argued that this and related forms of mindfulness must be directed towards bringing a post-growth economic system into being, which point to the goal of “equitable societies without needing to increase the collective economic throughput”. Measuring economic performance by GDP should be replaced with concerns for social justice, ecological regeneration, and collective wellbeing. Mindfulness as a form of environmental engagement must mean more than simply redesigned individualist practices focusing on the self and personal life choices. Any effective ‘solutions’ must always link the individual with a collective interest, otherwise inequalities will only be escalated.

We were honored to have Dr. Meissner join us for the Opening and provide such an academically-grounded, engaging, provocative and accessible talk. Several questions were put forward after her lecture, including one on her thoughts regarding the effectiveness of the ‘Green New Deal’ debate in the United States and the European Union. Dr. Meissner replied that while the EU’s ‘European Green Deal’ did hold some positive aspects in terms of directing resources towards creating more sustainable, carbon-free European economies, it was still based on a sustainability model that maintained a belief in growth as the ultimate goal. The US version in contrast, is still caught up in politically polarized debates and much depends on what happens in the presidential election in November.

Dr. Meissner’s lecture was a stimulating and successful way to open the Programme’s academic year. We look forward to seeing you all, online and whenever possible on campus, in the coming year.