A researcher with a background in ethics and epistemology, a PhD in Educational Sciences and a BA in Philosophy. For over 30 years I did research into systemic causes of poverty and social inequality, and understood their connection with ecological and economic crises. My focus is on strengthening alternative models and practices, by developing radically inclusive methodologies, promoting non-extractive financial tools (such as community currencies) and fostering 'responsible' (interventionist, systemic and cocreated) research and innovation. Phone: +32479548422 Address: Lier Belgium
This paper proposes a commons oriented framework for RRI - based on a systemic approach of the cu... more This paper proposes a commons oriented framework for RRI - based on a systemic approach of the current crises - clarifying the role of R&I in addressing these crises and the conditions (lock-ins and leverages) that allow RRI-projects to bring about alternatives.
Since 1972 European leaders have issued policies aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing of ecosystem... more Since 1972 European leaders have issued policies aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing of ecosystems and the prosperity of all people. Yet the threats have since increased steadily. In terms of system dynamics this indicates a lock-in, mechanisms that make the system veer away from its stated goal. A systemic analysis of EU policies and their (lack of) impact reveals various factors driving the socioeconomic system; a transition in each of them is required for politics to really change course. Four drivers determine the dynamics of the socioeconomic system: technical, social, eco-monetary and paradigmatic. EU policies mostly address the technical driver without taking into account the leverage of the three others. Yet the growing focus within EU research policy on Responsible Resarch and Innovation (RRI) may offer strong opportunities for transition.
Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they cal... more Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they call our era the Anthropocene. There is some debate on the exact geological implications of the term and on the moral value of giving an anthropocentric name to a geological era (Crist 2019), but here we use it to highlight the responsibility of humans for the state of the Earth ecosystem and the life depending on it. Human agency now takes us into a landscape unprecedented in human history: extreme levels of atmospheric CO2, species loss at a much faster rate than natural, acidification and plastic pollution of oceans, etc. Sustainability science is conceived as a response to those challenges. The question is whether – or under what conditions – the concept and science of sustainability can help us to achieve the necessary corrections in due time.
RRI emerged in response to what is called 'big challenges', complex systemic crises at a ... more RRI emerged in response to what is called 'big challenges', complex systemic crises at a global scale. So in contrast to classical R&I which is highly specialised, RRI should adopt a broad systemic approach taking the planetary ecosystem (thermodynamic laws) as its frame of reference. Scientists agree that human activity is the root cause of today's crises (Anthropocene), so RRI should help us to understand what drives this disruptive human activity. In line with research on the sustainability of complex dynamic flow systems, RRI has to foster resilience by detecting and upscaling alternative approaches. Many citizens and CSO's today develop innovative socioeconomic practices, pursuing the common good in community based 'living (or urban) labs'. Companies confronted with the effect of the big crises are exploring new business models and partnerships (e.g. ethical business, circular economy etc.) RRI has to clarify what makes these initiatives resilient and un...
Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they cal... more Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they call our era the Anthropocene. There is some debate on the exact geological implications of the term and on the moral value of giving an anthropocentric name to a geological era (Crist 2019), but here we use it to highlight the responsibility of humans for the state of the Earth ecosystem and the life depending on it. Human agency now takes us into a landscape unprecedented in human history: extreme levels of atmospheric CO2, species loss at a much faster rate than natural, acidification and plastic pollution of oceans, etc. Sustainability science is conceived as a response to those challenges. The question is whether – or under what conditions – the concept and science of sustainability can help us to achieve the necessary corrections in due time.
The One Health approach reveals a growing awareness that human health is interdependent with the ... more The One Health approach reveals a growing awareness that human health is interdependent with the health of all living beings and therefore requires keeping the entire planetary ecosystem healthy. The COVID-19 crisis has made this interconnection undeniable: by intruding into wild ecosystems, driven by the combined pressures of population growth and extractive economics, the risk of zoonotic diseases for which human immune systems and health care facilities are unprepared has drastically increased; the tremendous impact of this unrestrained colonization of nature is now clear worldwide. One Health has emerged in response to the increasing complexity of health issues. It states that to guarantee the health of humans, considering the health of other-than-human beings is crucial. Various related disciplines should collaborate to face the current health challenges. Despite this growing demand for a more systemic approach, health institutions and professionals appear slow in embracing it;...
Open Science that is adaptive to the complexity of the 21st century is emerging in transdisciplin... more Open Science that is adaptive to the complexity of the 21st century is emerging in transdisciplinary institutions outside of academia. Despite its growing popularity and plurality as a movement, the scope in which Open Science is practiced and discussed inside academia is still mostly restricted to the scientific community and fragmented between disciplinary silos. Researchers and policymakers promoting Open Science often focus on knowledge translation and still recognise experts and academia as the main producers of knowledge, essentially closing the research process to non-researchers and preventing other perspectives from being integrated into knowledge production. Our aim with this project was to adopt a systems perspective to understand how Open Science can address the challenges in the current knowledge production system. Open discussions among the team members revealed distinct understandings of what constitutes Open Science. Thus, during our process we collated these many de...
Our world is facing various wicked problems, such as climate change and extinction. These complex... more Our world is facing various wicked problems, such as climate change and extinction. These complex problems require an in-depth understanding. STEM disciplines in higher education play a crucial role in preparing students to solve such problems in their career. Yet it can be questioned whether STEM in higher education offers all the elements required to prepare students for a sustainable future. Additionally, a sole focus on STEM fields may not contribute to finding solutions to these problems. With STE(A)M in higher education, we explore what the missing element in higher education is and how higher education can be improved. We addressed this question within the Honours Programme Transdisciplinary Insights of the Institute for the Future at KU Leuven. Within this programme, a team of students, PhD researchers and coaches from various disciplines examined the educational system and explored how students can be better prepared to co-create a more sustainable future. This learning pat...
Background: Dr. in Educational Sciences (KU Leuven 1994) and Bachelor in Philosophy (KU Leuven 19... more Background: Dr. in Educational Sciences (KU Leuven 1994) and Bachelor in Philosophy (KU Leuven 1989); Doctoral thesis in Philosophy of Education, focusing on epistemology and ethics. Instructor & Assistant Course Director NC Outward Bound School USA (youth & adult Wilderness Education) 1982-1983 Researcher Stichting Technologie Vlaanderen (research project on Computer Assisted Learning in companies) 1984 Researcher & Senior Researcher KU Leuven (different projects, among others on gender, education politics, governance, active citizenship and media politics) 1985 – 2004 Coordinator of a therapeutic group for adolescents mainly stemming from families living in poverty (Universitair Centrum Leuven – Kortenberg) 1995-2002 Coordinator of Flora asbl/vzw – Network of Expertise on equal opportunities, solidarity economy and meta-resilience (transdisciplinary and action research projects) 2003-2014
Today, most social finance initiatives remain as small niches that are unable to alter the capita... more Today, most social finance initiatives remain as small niches that are unable to alter the capitalist system’s destructive course. Governments remain blind to social finance as potential leverage for pursuing human and natural wellbeing. This chapter proposes a framework for financial innovation that focuses on fostering a regenerative economy. In the current “Anthropocene” era, human activity impacts the Earth’s geophysical processes. Most societal institutions stem from the previous Holocene period of relative stability and manage subsystems separately, ignoring the feedback among them. Finance, too, is approached as a sector pursuing its own growth, using people and planet as mere resources, and disregarding their actual needs. The escalating exploitation of Nature pushes the Earth toward an unstable state. Due to its extractive design, finance no longer functions as a means for human and natural wellbeing but is now the economic aim. In contrast, many indigenous peoples’ worldvi...
This paper proposes a commons oriented framework for RRI - based on a systemic approach of the cu... more This paper proposes a commons oriented framework for RRI - based on a systemic approach of the current crises - clarifying the role of R&I in addressing these crises and the conditions (lock-ins and leverages) that allow RRI-projects to bring about alternatives.
Since 1972 European leaders have issued policies aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing of ecosystem... more Since 1972 European leaders have issued policies aimed at safeguarding the wellbeing of ecosystems and the prosperity of all people. Yet the threats have since increased steadily. In terms of system dynamics this indicates a lock-in, mechanisms that make the system veer away from its stated goal. A systemic analysis of EU policies and their (lack of) impact reveals various factors driving the socioeconomic system; a transition in each of them is required for politics to really change course. Four drivers determine the dynamics of the socioeconomic system: technical, social, eco-monetary and paradigmatic. EU policies mostly address the technical driver without taking into account the leverage of the three others. Yet the growing focus within EU research policy on Responsible Resarch and Innovation (RRI) may offer strong opportunities for transition.
Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they cal... more Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they call our era the Anthropocene. There is some debate on the exact geological implications of the term and on the moral value of giving an anthropocentric name to a geological era (Crist 2019), but here we use it to highlight the responsibility of humans for the state of the Earth ecosystem and the life depending on it. Human agency now takes us into a landscape unprecedented in human history: extreme levels of atmospheric CO2, species loss at a much faster rate than natural, acidification and plastic pollution of oceans, etc. Sustainability science is conceived as a response to those challenges. The question is whether – or under what conditions – the concept and science of sustainability can help us to achieve the necessary corrections in due time.
RRI emerged in response to what is called 'big challenges', complex systemic crises at a ... more RRI emerged in response to what is called 'big challenges', complex systemic crises at a global scale. So in contrast to classical R&I which is highly specialised, RRI should adopt a broad systemic approach taking the planetary ecosystem (thermodynamic laws) as its frame of reference. Scientists agree that human activity is the root cause of today's crises (Anthropocene), so RRI should help us to understand what drives this disruptive human activity. In line with research on the sustainability of complex dynamic flow systems, RRI has to foster resilience by detecting and upscaling alternative approaches. Many citizens and CSO's today develop innovative socioeconomic practices, pursuing the common good in community based 'living (or urban) labs'. Companies confronted with the effect of the big crises are exploring new business models and partnerships (e.g. ethical business, circular economy etc.) RRI has to clarify what makes these initiatives resilient and un...
Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they cal... more Scientists today agree humans have an impact on Earth's biophysical processes; hence they call our era the Anthropocene. There is some debate on the exact geological implications of the term and on the moral value of giving an anthropocentric name to a geological era (Crist 2019), but here we use it to highlight the responsibility of humans for the state of the Earth ecosystem and the life depending on it. Human agency now takes us into a landscape unprecedented in human history: extreme levels of atmospheric CO2, species loss at a much faster rate than natural, acidification and plastic pollution of oceans, etc. Sustainability science is conceived as a response to those challenges. The question is whether – or under what conditions – the concept and science of sustainability can help us to achieve the necessary corrections in due time.
The One Health approach reveals a growing awareness that human health is interdependent with the ... more The One Health approach reveals a growing awareness that human health is interdependent with the health of all living beings and therefore requires keeping the entire planetary ecosystem healthy. The COVID-19 crisis has made this interconnection undeniable: by intruding into wild ecosystems, driven by the combined pressures of population growth and extractive economics, the risk of zoonotic diseases for which human immune systems and health care facilities are unprepared has drastically increased; the tremendous impact of this unrestrained colonization of nature is now clear worldwide. One Health has emerged in response to the increasing complexity of health issues. It states that to guarantee the health of humans, considering the health of other-than-human beings is crucial. Various related disciplines should collaborate to face the current health challenges. Despite this growing demand for a more systemic approach, health institutions and professionals appear slow in embracing it;...
Open Science that is adaptive to the complexity of the 21st century is emerging in transdisciplin... more Open Science that is adaptive to the complexity of the 21st century is emerging in transdisciplinary institutions outside of academia. Despite its growing popularity and plurality as a movement, the scope in which Open Science is practiced and discussed inside academia is still mostly restricted to the scientific community and fragmented between disciplinary silos. Researchers and policymakers promoting Open Science often focus on knowledge translation and still recognise experts and academia as the main producers of knowledge, essentially closing the research process to non-researchers and preventing other perspectives from being integrated into knowledge production. Our aim with this project was to adopt a systems perspective to understand how Open Science can address the challenges in the current knowledge production system. Open discussions among the team members revealed distinct understandings of what constitutes Open Science. Thus, during our process we collated these many de...
Our world is facing various wicked problems, such as climate change and extinction. These complex... more Our world is facing various wicked problems, such as climate change and extinction. These complex problems require an in-depth understanding. STEM disciplines in higher education play a crucial role in preparing students to solve such problems in their career. Yet it can be questioned whether STEM in higher education offers all the elements required to prepare students for a sustainable future. Additionally, a sole focus on STEM fields may not contribute to finding solutions to these problems. With STE(A)M in higher education, we explore what the missing element in higher education is and how higher education can be improved. We addressed this question within the Honours Programme Transdisciplinary Insights of the Institute for the Future at KU Leuven. Within this programme, a team of students, PhD researchers and coaches from various disciplines examined the educational system and explored how students can be better prepared to co-create a more sustainable future. This learning pat...
Background: Dr. in Educational Sciences (KU Leuven 1994) and Bachelor in Philosophy (KU Leuven 19... more Background: Dr. in Educational Sciences (KU Leuven 1994) and Bachelor in Philosophy (KU Leuven 1989); Doctoral thesis in Philosophy of Education, focusing on epistemology and ethics. Instructor & Assistant Course Director NC Outward Bound School USA (youth & adult Wilderness Education) 1982-1983 Researcher Stichting Technologie Vlaanderen (research project on Computer Assisted Learning in companies) 1984 Researcher & Senior Researcher KU Leuven (different projects, among others on gender, education politics, governance, active citizenship and media politics) 1985 – 2004 Coordinator of a therapeutic group for adolescents mainly stemming from families living in poverty (Universitair Centrum Leuven – Kortenberg) 1995-2002 Coordinator of Flora asbl/vzw – Network of Expertise on equal opportunities, solidarity economy and meta-resilience (transdisciplinary and action research projects) 2003-2014
Today, most social finance initiatives remain as small niches that are unable to alter the capita... more Today, most social finance initiatives remain as small niches that are unable to alter the capitalist system’s destructive course. Governments remain blind to social finance as potential leverage for pursuing human and natural wellbeing. This chapter proposes a framework for financial innovation that focuses on fostering a regenerative economy. In the current “Anthropocene” era, human activity impacts the Earth’s geophysical processes. Most societal institutions stem from the previous Holocene period of relative stability and manage subsystems separately, ignoring the feedback among them. Finance, too, is approached as a sector pursuing its own growth, using people and planet as mere resources, and disregarding their actual needs. The escalating exploitation of Nature pushes the Earth toward an unstable state. Due to its extractive design, finance no longer functions as a means for human and natural wellbeing but is now the economic aim. In contrast, many indigenous peoples’ worldvi...
How to prepare higher education learners for the complexity of the 21st century? How to help them... more How to prepare higher education learners for the complexity of the 21st century? How to help them acquire the insights, empathy, empowerment, sense of responsibility, and hope they need to build a new world in the unstable conditions of the Anthropocene? This article presents a one-year program (offered as an Honors Program), tested at KU Leuven. The results will be further developed with a view to moving from STEM- to STEAM-education, allowing students to tackle complex challenges.
Can the concept and science of 'sustainability' offer timely answers to today's global crises? Ou... more Can the concept and science of 'sustainability' offer timely answers to today's global crises? Our analysis starts from the case of medieval Viking and Inuit settlers in Greenland. In spite of their 'advanced' culture and technology the Viking collapsed, whereas the Inuit kept adapting and evolving. From this we learn that sustainability depends on a balance among 3 spheres: 1. (local) biophysical processes generating life; 2. narratives on what it means to be human and on how man relates to nature; 3; economic and technological processes ('justified' by these narratives) for accessing nature's offerings. Sustainability ultimately depends on a civilisation's capacity to adapt its narratives (and the corresponding techno-economic system) to biophysical realities supporting life. The current techno-economic regime (with its growth credo) translates human progress in 'exploiting nature' and so justifies the destruction of ecosystems. A growing number of emergent practices use narratives reconnecting man with nature, and pioneer in regenerative economic tools, yet regime institutions keep them from gaining societal tract. How can (sustainability) science help to mainstream these resilient innovations before the collapse of living ecosystems?
Paradigms, Models, Scenarios and Practices for Strong Sustainability., 2020
Can the concept and science of 'sustainability' offer answers to today's crises? Crucial lessons ... more Can the concept and science of 'sustainability' offer answers to today's crises? Crucial lessons can be learned from the fates of Viking and Inuit settlers in medieval Greenland. In spite of their advanced technologies and trade systems, the Viking collapsed, whereas the Inuit kept thriving. This case reveals that sustainability can be understood as a dynamic balance of three spheres: 1. biophysical processes (controlled by thermodynamic laws and astrophysical forces) generating life and evolution; 2. human narratives on the meaning of life, death and nature; 3. economic and technological processes ('justified' by those narratives) to access nature's offerings. Sustainability depends on a civilisation's capacity to adapt its narratives and its techno-economic systems to Earth's biophysical realities. The dominant Western narrative (implicitly) defines human progress as controlling life and exploiting nature, justifying ecosystem destruction. However, today emergent practices embrace narratives (re)connecting man with nature, and pioneer in regenerative economics; yet regime institutions keep them from gaining the necessary tract. How can sustainability science help to mainstream these innovative approaches?
Paradigms, Models, Scenarios and Practices for Strong Sustainability, 2020
Viking and Inuit settlers in medieval Greenland. In spite of their advanced technologies and trad... more Viking and Inuit settlers in medieval Greenland. In spite of their advanced technologies and trade systems, the Viking collapsed, whereas the Inuit kept thriving. This case reveals that sustainability can be understood as a dynamic balance of three spheres: 1. biophysical processes (controlled by thermodynamic laws and astrophysical forces) generating life and evolution; 2. human narratives on the meaning of life, death and nature; 3. economic and technological processes ('justified' by those narratives) to access nature's offerings. Sustainability depends on a civilisation's capacity to adapt its narratives and its techno-economic systems to Earth's biophysical realities. The dominant Western narrative (implicitly) defines human progress as controlling life and exploiting nature, justifying ecosystem destruction. However, today emergent practices embrace narratives (re)connecting man with nature, and pioneer in regenerative economics; yet regime institutions keep them from gaining the necessary tract. How can sustainability science help to mainstream these innovative approaches?
In: Diemer, A. et al. (Eds), Paradigms, Models, Scenarios and Practices for Strong Sustainability. Clermont-Ferrand: Editions Oeconomia, 2020
Viking and Inuit settlers in medieval Greenland. In spite of their advanced technologies and trad... more Viking and Inuit settlers in medieval Greenland. In spite of their advanced technologies and trade systems, the Viking collapsed, whereas the Inuit kept thriving. This case reveals that sustainability can be understood as a dynamic balance of three spheres: 1. biophysical processes (controlled by thermodynamic laws and astrophysical forces) generating life and evolution; 2. human narratives on the meaning of life, death and nature; 3. economic and technological processes ('justified' by those narratives) to access nature's offerings. Sustainability depends on a civilisation's capacity to adapt its narratives and its techno-economic systems to Earth's biophysical realities. The dominant Western narrative (implicitly) defines human progress as controlling life and exploiting nature, justifying ecosystem destruction. However, today emergent practices embrace narratives (re)connecting man with nature, and pioneer in regenerative economics; yet regime institutions keep them from gaining the necessary tract. How can sustainability science help to mainstream these innovative approaches?
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