Influential researcher is taking up first chair in the Netherlands and beyond that explicitly combines sustainability transitions and philosophical thinking.
Understanding crucial transition dynamics
The escalating effects of climate change raise critical concerns about human well-being, justice, and societal stability. Beyond physical and economic harm, climate change deepens inequalities, fuels polarization, and erodes solidarity, posing a direct threat to the potential for people and nature to survive and thrive.
In response to these threats, long-term structural societal shifts – called ‘transitions’ – are needed to safeguard sustainability and justice. A key question of our time is: how can science, policy and action from communities and businesses turn this tide and foster a just and sustainable future?
With Erasmus University Rotterdam’s mission 'to create positive societal impact’, its Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil) and its social enterprise the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) are strongly devoted to working on such change. These three bodies are therefore overjoyed to announce the instalment of Julia Wittmayer as professor of Transdisciplinarity and Societal Transformations.
Combining philosophy and transition studies
Dr. Wittmayer is an influential scholar in the field of transition studies. This field's focus is on understanding and influencing transition dynamics, always cooperating with various academic disciplines (‘interdisciplinary’) and involving practical experts and their knowledge as an integral part of this shared effort (‘transdisciplinary’).
With the creation of this new chair, dr. Wittmayer and the university ecosystem that supports her take an important next step in co-creating the knowledge this present moment requires – combining philosophy with transition studies. Says Liesbeth Noordegraaf-Eelens, acting dean of the Erasmus School of Philosophy: ”It is timely and relevant to build solid bridges between the fields of transition research and philosophy. Philosophy explores the fundamental questions of human existence, and its tradition of questioning established ways of doing, thinking and organizing society aligns closely with transition thinking.”
Julia Wittmayer is already heavily involved in efforts to link the two fields and connect them to other societal initiatives, for example through her involvement in the design and running of the joint Master in Societal Transitions. The establishment of this unique chair solidifies this cooperation.
A space for encounter and engagement
The recently installed professor is eager to start her work on transdisciplinarity and societal transformations: “At its core, I see this professorship as the opportunity to create, tend to and shape a space of encounter and engagement between transition research, practice, and philosophy.”
Both ESPhil and DRIFT see the appointment of dr. Wittmayer as a unique opportunity to further a deeper understanding of how philosophical principles can shape policies and practices for societal transformation.
For more information, please contact:
Ticia Herold from the Erasmus School or Philosophy (herold@esphil.eur.nl ● +31 10 4088967)
or Wouter Mulders from DRIFT (mulders@drift.eur.nl ● +31 10 408 9615)
- More information
About ESPhil
Erasmus School of Philosophy (ESPhil) of Erasmus University Rotterdam is a leading research and teaching institution in the Netherlands. The faculty has a broad international orientation, with many international students and staff members and strong connections with universities abroad. Our research programs are internationally leading in our field. We offer three Master programs (the Master program Philosophy Now, the Research Master Philosophy and Economics and the Master Societal Transitions) and two Bachelor programs (the BA Philosophy and the Philosophy of a Specific Discipline (second degree) program. Guided by dedicated lecturers, students delve into various philosophical topics, ranging from philosophy of early Enlightenment up to post-modern continental philosophy; from ethics to philosophy of science and metaphysics. Our curriculum is emphatically involved with the current philosophical and societal debates and our research is internationally leading in our field and addresses for collaborative themes: The making of Modernity; Subjectivity and its discontents; Philosophy of economics; The structure of science and reality. ESPhil enables students to become critical thinkers and engaged scholars by developing their academic skills and encouraging them to practice philosophy in multiple societal settings.
About DRIFT
The Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) is a leading research institute in the field of transition science. Founded in 2004, it is one of the first organisations globally devoted to sustainability and justice transitions. The 40+ DRIFTers are here to help individuals and organisations explore fundamental change!
DRIFT is a social enterprise as part of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. As a social enterprise, the institute supports people, cities, companies and sectors striving for such change. We do so by developing and sharing transitions know-how and how-to through research, consultancy, education and activism! To learn more, go to drift.eur.nl.
