To See the World in a Soybean

To See the World in a Soybean

As one of the largest harbours in the world, the Port of Rotterdam plays a pivotal role in the global trade of containers, fossil fuels and raw materials. Around 450 million tonnes of goods go through Rotterdam on a yearly basis, amongst which the transhipment and storage of agricultural products, such as corn, grains, soybeans and oilseeds. But while this position as a global trading hub is an important driver of the economy in North-Western Europe, it also has a major negative impact on societies and ecosystems worldwide. 

In this block we will map and unravel the global impact of the Rotterdam port, meaning the societal and environmental impact that is not only produced by the port itself, but also by those parties and productions that it’s indirectly responsible for up and down its value chain. To really understand how our local economy is entangled with the world, we will focus on one specific product - the soybean - and see how Rotterdam’s harbour and its affiliated network of businesses are directly tied to the destruction of rainforests, the industrial scale production of cheap meat, and the exploitation of human and natural capital all over the world. We will highlight stories that expose the often-hidden impact of this trade, from the transshipment of goods to their consumption, and the resulting effects on communities and the environment. Eventually we will speculate on spatial, social and ecological scenarios that arise when moving towards a meatless society.

This workshop is part of our This is Tomorrow programme, but also offered as a stand-alone workshop.

ABOUT ROTTERDAM
Once unknown and misunderstood, the city of Rotterdam is now more popular than ever. Iconic buildings, bars and restaurants pop up all around town, making it an attractive destination for tourists, students and other visitors from all around the world. The population is growing, house prices are on the rise and the development of new urban districts is in full swing. In less than two decades the city has changed from a harsh and grim, yet poetic, place to a smooth and attractive city that is loved and today is even called hospitable and pleasant.

But no matter how charming the city presents itself, no matter how modern or popular it is, it owes - contrarily enough – a large part of its appeal to its sharp edges; its attraction lies not exactly in being able to offer what you are looking for, but in what it confronts you with unexpectedly: the surprises, the jagged fringes and the opportunities they bring. The city is a real city because it always offers more than what you asked for. It is the darker side that makes her more than a small town. The city is old, dirty and beautiful at the same time. That’s why we love her, why we want to nurture her.

Rotterdam is a laboratory for the School. In Rotterdam, things can be researched, designed and developed that could be of interest to the rest of the world, because in Rotterdam we can find situations that are often related to cities in very different parts of the world. It is for these reasons that the Independent School for the City takes the city of Rotterdam, in all its complexity, as the point of departure for study, with the goal of stimulating and inspiring a new generation of urbanists to apply their creativity to finding new solutions for the city.

Yet, at the same time, there are still many serious issues in this city that are problematic. Just like other world cities, Rotterdam has to come to terms with social inequality and spatial segregation, with drug-related crime and human trafficking, with pollution and environmental degradation. The city has been part of a global network since her origins and shares these issues with cities worldwide such as Hong Kong or Baltimore, Athens or Accra. Her problems are not unique, but can we devise unique strategies to solve them?

Testimonials of previous participants

Preliminary Course Programme

Week #1

Monday 12 May 2025 
Introduction lectures and conversations on the Anthropocene, Agriculture and the Port of Rotterdam. Explanation of the assignment week #1: Mapping the global connectivity of soy trade in the Port of Rotterdam.

Tuesday 13 May 2025
Brief mapping exercise and field trip to the Port of Rotterdam.

Wednesday 14 May 2025
Research in groups, mapping the global impact and stories of agribulk Soy trade. Lecture on Soy production in Brazil, and conversations.

Thursday 15 May 2025
Research in groups, mapping the global impact and stories of agribulk Soy trade. Lecture on Soy production in Brazil, and conversations. Presentation of first findings.

Week #2

Monday 19 May 2025 
Lecture on polarisation in Agriculture by Dirk Sijmons. Explanation of the assignment week #2: Research on the accumulated environmental and social impact of soy worldwide.

Tuesday 20 May 2025
Research in groups and conversations, and a public evening lecture.

Wednesday 21 May 2025
Research in groups and conversations.

Thursday 22 May 2025
Research in groups and presentations and conversation about the findings in week #2.

Week #3 

Monday 26 May 2025 
Presentations and discussion on narrative and performative forms of communication. Start working on output and presentation of research findings.

Tuesday 27 May 2025
Participants work on output and presentation. Tutoring sessions.

Wednesday 28 May 2025
Finalise work on output and presentation of insights to a larger audience.