Unbrexable: Connections and Caring in European Scotland

Saturday 2nd Sept 2017 1000-1600

The Pearce Institute, 840-860 Govan Rd, Glasgow G51 3UU (near Govan underground station)

UNBREXABLE is the Centre for Human Ecology’s active response to Brexit: a series of interventions and a conference on 2nd September, revolving around supporting and strengthening the kinds of emotional connections and caring- and grassroots European solidarity and movements- which are too often left out of political debates.

Human-scale intimacy and relationships have been diminished in current political and mainstream media discourse, with European Scots and other migrants reduced to ‘bargaining chips’ with uncertain futures instead of valued and loved citizens with a right to belong. It has led to an understanding that we can no longer take for granted the kind of inclusive welcoming European Scotland we desire and voted for: we have to actively co-create it.

Community Conference
Past Events
Unbrexfast

Community Conference

An interactive conference and gathering in Govan on 2nd September, 10am – 4pm around active citizenship, exploring initiatives and inquiring into how we need to collectively move forward to co-create social, ecological and economic solutions for the kind of society we want to live in.

  1. Ullrich Kockel : The World Turned Upside Down (again?): Anthropological Reflections on Brexit. Video link
  2. Joachim Spangenberg: Strengthening ties, weaving a net. Video link
  3. Eric Boyd : The Calculable & The Incalculable; an examination of “Brexit” through the demolition & redevelopment of Kiruna. Video link
  4. Unbrexable Panel Debate: Video link

Contributors:

Ullrich Kockel, Intercultural Research Centre, Heriot-Watt University: anthropological reflections on Brexit

CAMINA collective on solidarity and resistance in the age of Brexit

Joachim Spangenberg, Sustainable Earth Research Institute, Cologne, on strengthening ties, weaving a net

Eric Boyd, UCL Centre for the Anthropology Of Sustainability, on examination of Brexit through case study of demolition and redevelopment of Kiruna, Sweden

Vérène Nicolas, practitioner and facilitator, on what would it take for Scotland to become a “collaborative nation”

Gary Dunion, Friends of the Earth Scotland, on Brexit vs. the environment

Panel discussion chaired by Luke Devlin on how we can build connections and resist fragmentation in the years ahead, with Marj Clark and Jonathan Robertson of Xchange Scotland, Nadine Gorency of Rags To Riches, Sara Shaarawi of Arab Arts Focus and Remzije Sherifi of Maryhill Integration Network

Photo exhibition by Frank McElhinney: Postcards from Scotland in a Time of Crisis

Transit Zone, a documentary film by Frederik Subei, and an authentic insight into the life of refugees in the jungle of Calais

More to be announced. There will be many opportunities for discussion and participation – your chance to contribute to the growing movement to resist a hard Brexit and co-operate together to build the future we want.

The deadline for the Call for Contributions was July 16, 2017.

Past Events

Unbrexfast:

Unbrexfast, July 30, 11am – 2pm at The Project Cafe.

We had a delicious brunch buffet at The Project Cafe, a discussion and sharing about how we can co-create the kind of society we wish to be part of, in the wake of Brexit. Themes we bring to the table include food security, DIY solidarity and strengthening our connections with European social movements.

For an overview of the discussions on the day, read Juana Adcock’s blog post Unbrexfast – A Reflection.

Archive Facebook event page here.