IGNORANCE: The Power of Non-Knowledge

About

In the current political scenario we are witnessing a growing success of populist campaigns, and the media bears some responsibility for the rise of them. IGNORANCE is the title of the next Disruption Network Lab conference. The event unfolds the study and exploration of induced non-knowledge and its political, legal and social uses in everyday life. In particular we want to analyse the deliberate creation of doubts and suppression of facts that could improve the business of corporations, as well as reach controversial political and social goals. We will discuss ignorance induced by various corporation and the broader media scenario, understanding how they are able to manipulate information by spreading non-knowledge.

In keynote lectures, panel discussions and a film screening, the various political, economic and psychological issues involved in the distribution and the strategic use of not knowing, as well as experimental approaches to uncover and unmake such forbidden knowledge will be presented.

Speakers: Matthias Gross (sociologist and science studies scholar, DE), Joanna Kempner (Sociologist, US), Jamie Allen (artist and researcher, CA/CH), Teresa Dillon (researcher, artist and educator, IE/DE), Karen Douglas (social psychologist, UK), Martin F. Robbins (researcher and science writer, UK), Hannah Jane Parkinson (digital culture journalist and writer, UK), Ippolita group (activists and writers, IT).

Screening of “Merchants of Doubt” (2014, 1h36min, OV), documentary directed by Robert Kenner , based on the book “Merchants of Doubt” by historians of science Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway.

The 9th event of the Disruption Network Lab, directed by Tatiana Bazzichelli, co-curated by Daniela Silvestrin. Funded by Der Regierende Bürgermeister von Berlin, Senatskanzlei, Kulturelle Angelegenheiten / City Tax. In partnership with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. In cooperation with Kunstraum Kreuzberg /Bethanien. In collaboration with SPEKTRUM (http://spektrumberlin.de), The Resistance Studies Network (www.resistancestudies.org) and the Resistance Study Initiative – RSI, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA (www.umass.edu/resistancestudies).  Media partners: ExBerliner, Furtherfield.

Details: http://www.disruptionlab.org/ignorance