ESPhil celebrates its 50th anniversary; a look back at the lustrum

Hub Zwart, the dean of ESPhil, welcomed the attendees of the symposium in the Theil building with an opening speech. He characterized ESPhil's contribution to the university as a constructive intersection of collaborations: “ESPhil is a critical sparring partner, and thus keeps other faculties and disciplines on their toes.” With its fundamental questions and active contribution to the public debate, ESPhil fulfills “an indispensable and unifying role”, says Zwart.

Rector Magnificus Annelien Bredenoord then congratulated the faculty via a recorded video. “Students may now call us boomers, but we are not,” joked Bredenoord, who is also a professor at ESPhil. ESPhil belongs to the generation of "pragmatists" - 'originated' between 1971 and 1985 - and Bredenoord, therefore, praised ESPhil's broad involvement in current affairs and society, which the Rector Magnificus called "thinking with your sleeves rolled up".

Third on the program was the Nestor of ESPhil, Dr. Awee Prins, who in a memorable speech emphasized the often precarious existential condition of the faculty. In its fifty years of existence, ESPhil has been threatened with closure several times, through mergers or other "merciless" attempts. According to some, the faculty would cost too much money, or simply contributed too little. But Prins also had a personal theory: since the 1970s there has been a social and academic tendency to “no longer take good care of our mothers” and philosophy then, as 'mother of all disciplines', would be the first to go. Despite these challenges, ESPhil always managed to secure its existence, sometimes through brilliant and exciting political and policy artifice (all the way up to the Dutch Senate). In conclusion, Prins stated that the future of philosophy at EUR is “so bright that you have to wear sunglasses”.

Awee Prins's full speech can be downloaded below.

After a short break, a panel discussion followed in which a varied panel, consisting of senior and junior staff, discussed the past, present and future of the faculty. Seated at the speakers table were Jamie van der Klaauw, Ruby Knipscheer, Wiep van Bunge, and Liesbeth Noordegraaf-Eelens. All agreed on the importance of philosophy within and especially outside of the walls of the academy. For example, through internships, students can be linked to social themes, said Professor Noordegraaf-Eelens, and by philosophizing with primary school children, tutor Ruby Knipscheer contributes to citizenship education at an early stage. Similar developments make and keep philosophy accessible to the general public.

Finally, spoken word artist and alumnus Lev Avitan thrilled people with his performance 'Poetics of the Many'. In elegant sentences he reflected on how his study of philosophy shaped him as a person and, as a source of hope and inspiration, permanently influences his thinking and art.

This philosophical and artistic intermezzo was followed by a reception and later in the evening staff and former colleagues were invited to participate in a barbecue, during which a large plaster work of art by Erasmus was also unveiled. The statue has now been placed at the faculty, so that his spirit may keep a watchful eye over it. Here's to another 50 years of philosophy!