Forms of Today's Future is a program series about how we can map current power structures. On the one hand, citizens get more opportunities to influence their environment (3D printers, crowdsourced fundraising). On the other hand, powerlessness comes to extisence because our digital identities are in the hands of unknown, international companies and governments that are uncontrollable. Face recognition software, iris scans and automated border controls increasingly determine who is or is not involved.
In the 5-day networkshop Behind the Scenes of the Internet we will examine the political, economic and social ideal to distribute power decentralized and horizontally. What exactly is needed to get technological systems such as the Internet really decentralized and democratic? To what extent is technology actually a condition for decentralized power formation? And, how can we discuss this if we do not fully understand the technology itself.
The workshop is hosted by the hackers, artists and teachers Julian Oliver and Danja Vasiliev. Participants learn to build their own networks, via the command prompt, through wired and wireless connections. By getting to know all layers of our network environment - material, political and institutional - participants get insight in what ways they are governed by our network environment, and to what extend they can control this environment.
About Forms of Today's Future
Power relations are shifting radically because of developments in the field of technology, economy, politics and the environment. With this program, anthropologist Dorien Zandbergen, Netwerk Democratie, Veenfabriek and Waag are actively involving a diverse audience in search for the possibilities and impossibilities of democracy and participation in today's information society.
For whom?
Artists, designers, scientists, students, techno skeptics, theater makers, early adopters, hackers, policymakers, journalists, distrustful citizens, young people, elderly, curious and socially committed persons. Participants in this workshop don’t need to have expertise in computer networking.
When?
Monday 25 March until Friday 29 March
12.00 - 18.00 hrs
Where?
Waag
Nieuwmarkt 4
1012 CR Amsterdam
Costs
The workshop costs € 75,-. Students and people with a citypass get 30% discount.
