Debating Development 2024

See full programme below

Antwerp's historical significance as a global gateway is undeniably tied to its port. For centuries, stretching back to the sixteenth century, the port of Antwerp has been instrumental in driving industrialization and facilitating international trade. Today, it proudly stands as Europe's second-largest port, a testament to the city's economic prowess. However, beyond the bustling docks and towering cranes lies a narrative often overlooked—a story marked by social-ecological injustices and the hidden costs of its economic success.

The port's history is complex, rife with contradictions and injustices. From its involvement in the exploitative practices of the Congo Free State to present-day issues like drug trafficking and labor exploitation, the port's more sinister aspects are masked by narratives of progress and prosperity. Infrastructure projects frequently disrupt and displace communities, exacerbating social inequalities and disproportionately benefiting the privileged few.

This year's "Debating Development" series aims to peel back the layers of port prosperity, exposing its hidden costs. Through critical examination, it seeks to unpack the unequal distribution of benefits and burdens associated with port activities, shedding light on marginalized communities and ecosystems disproportionately affected by its operations. Discussions will delve into topics such as environmental degradation, socio-ecological consequences, and the perpetuation of social-environmental injustices both locally and in the Global South.

Furthermore, the series will scrutinize the relationship between academic institutions and port interests, questioning the ways universities engage with and potentially perpetuate port impacts. By challenging conventional notions of progress and development, the series advocates for a more nuanced understanding of port economies.

Through inclusive dialogue among scholars, policymakers, and social organizations, this year’s  series aims to foster critical awareness of the port of Antwerp's role in contemporary development. It calls for pathways prioritizing social and environmental justice in the face of globalization and neoliberal policies, centering the voices of those impacted by port injustices to catalyze meaningful action towards more equitable and sustainable practices.

Programme 2024

Tuesday 8 October (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) Navigating Globalization: Port City Identities and the Tensions of Local Governance​

• Mikki Stelder, Assistant Professor in Global Arts and Politics in the Department of Cultural Studies at the University of Amsterdam

• Gilles Van Hamme, Assistant Professor in Economic Geography at Université Libre de Bruxelles
• Gert Van Hecken, Associate Professor at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp
  

Tuesday 15 October (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) Social-ecological justice I: North-South relations, agricultural commodities and chemical colonialism through the port of Antwerp​

• Larissa Mies Bombardi, Professor at the Department of Geography of the University of São Paulo (USP)

• Raf Callaerts, Research and Policy Officer at the Belgian national section of FIAN International

• Tomaso Ferrando, Research Professor at the Faculty of Law and Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp

​Tuesday 22 October (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) Social-ecological justice II: Lessons from the Port of Antwerp and Beyond​

• Katrin Van den Troost, Coordinator of Climaxi vzw
• Francesca Savoldi, Funder of the Contested Ports project; lecturer at the Glasgow Caledonian University in London
• Thomas Goorden, Environmental researcher; PFAS-expert
  
• Gert Van Hecken,Associate Professor at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp
  

​Tuesday 29 October (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) Life beyond the port: Discussing social-environmental (in)justices behind the ‘green’ narrative of the port of Antwerp​

• Roberta Cucca, Associate Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
• Elizabeth Sibilia, post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo
  
• Borja Nogué Algueró, post-doctoral researcher at the Sociology Department of the University of Gothenburg
• Chiara Fracasso, junior policy officer at Seas At Risk
  

Tuesday 12 November (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) Exploring the Interplay Between the Port of Antwerp and Labour Exploitation in Urban Dynamics 

• Carlotta Benvengu is associate professor at the department of sociology of the University of Évry - Paris Saclay, Center Pierre Naville  
• Anthonie De Lausnay is a workers representative for the socialist union ABVV at a chemical company in the Port of Antwerp
• Johanneke van Slooten is director of Cherut vzw, an organization that offers guidance and support to girls, women and transgender people in a situation of prostitution, exploitation and human trafficking
  
• Diana Tiholaz is a research assistant at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp

Tuesday 19 November (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) The port as a gateway to violence? A look at the arms trade through the port of Antwerp​

• Filip Reyniers, director of International Peace Information Service (IPIS vzw)
• Hans Lammerant, Vredesactie vzw
  
• Divin-Luc Bikubanya, research assistant at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp

Tuesday 26 November (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) The adverse effects of the fight against narcotrafficking in Belgium and beyond​

• Yassine Boubout, human rights advocate and expert police affairs 
• Luc Rombaut, Alcohol and drugs coach
• Nicolas Van der Linden, Modus Vivendi (a Brussels-based non-profit organization providing harm reduction services for people who use drugs)
  
• Denis Augustin Samnick, research assistant at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB), University of Antwerp
  

Tuesday 3 December (18.30 - 20.30, R.002) Ties between the university and the port

• Aaron Pereira, independent researcher and co-founder Solid Sustainability Research
  
• Mathieu Blondeel, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) and Climate Expertise Centre expert Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
• Vincent Bellinkx, Post-doctoral researcher, Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO), University of Antwerp