Politics of Nature | Game Workshop

Don't miss a unique opportunity to revisit your approach to decision-making!

Can humanity find a balance between protection of the environment and progress in the economy, between the transformation of society and the preservation of individual freedoms? The answer to these questions can be found in PoN.

PoN (Politics of Nature) is a board game that introduces an alternative view of reality and teaches how to reach a compromise and make shared democratic decisions.

Throughout the rounds of PoN, participants gradually build an ideal planet that mirrors the real world. Each step is a new combination of identification, representation, reflection, and decision-making.

During the PoN game, participants explore, experience, and augment political processes that are quite different to the ones applied today. Together, they will find the relevant actors and include them into their worlds. What do they need? How are they interdependent? What can they sacrifice? and Who must be sacrificed?

We will choose 20 people, who will go on a journey from getting to know the Politics of Nature concept to creating their own gaming formats, which can be carried out independently.

During the program you will:

• analyze philosophical texts and break them down into “simple language”;
• attend workshops by Danish philosophy experts on the embodiment, perception, and understanding of different worlds and democratic processes;
• get to know the concept of the Politics of Nature and its practical use;
• improve your skills of argumentation and compromise while making collective decisions;
• create your own version of the philosophical game and start a network of PoN ambassadors in Ukraine.

Where, when and how?

• 11-13 February (PLEASE NOTE: the program might be postponed for later in spring — we are monitoring the COVID-19 situation and will inform you of any changes of schedule if those arise);
• three days from 10:00 till 18:00;
• Kyiv.

Language: English

Apply if you:

• are interested in philosophy, political science, sociology, or other social sciences;
• want to learn more about the Politics of Nature concept and broaden your understanding of the theory and practice of democracy;
• have a high level of English;
• are able to participate in all three days of the workshop and are willing to take an active part in it;
• live in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian-Danish Youth House provides lunches for all participants, as well as covers accommodation, food, and travel expenses for those coming from other cities.

Application deadline: January 23, 23:59

Apply here!

All candidates and applicants will receive a letter with the selection results by 28 January.

The PoN game was created by Jakob Ruffn and Frederik Lassen, inspired by the work of French philosopher, anthropologist, and sociologist Bruno Latour. The creators have held gaming sessions in various parts of the world, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Brazil, and South Africa.

Jakob Raffn is a systems tinker and action-philosopher. He holds a BSc and MSc from the University of Copenhagen, and a PhD from Aarhus University. Here, the focus on tinkering with societies’ operating systems led him to academically develop, test, and report on PoN. His current focus is on creating the next digital version of PoN and setting up laboratories where new modalities of coexistence can emerge.

Frederik Lassen is a liquid artivist, set designer, and mobilizer. He is a curator for immersive content for international festivals and a creative producer of virtual reality experiences. He holds an MSc from the IT University of Copenhagen, where the interest for tech and philosophy ignited.