U + zine is a cycle of short thematic explorations for alternative futures and change, through the lens of arts and fiction. Each month, one theme, one call for contributions, one meeting (in France) and one publication (International). Open to all!
Relations
“Patient zero” sneezes near the Wuhan market, the whole planet gets sick. An effective collaboration links all the researchers of the world… we steal each other’s mask at the border. We applaud health professionals, who offer the best of ourselves, from our windows… And suddenly, halted in our daily lives and activities, we realize that everything is a question of relations. What and how we will arise from this crisis will be as well. The pandemic and confinement force us to reconsider a lot of what we took for granted and to ask ourselves: how can we recompose our relations, and make sure we don’t return to the same state as before?
In this spirit, Bruno Latour asks six questions around “production”. We would like to conduct a similar exercise with you, around the notion of relationships.
For this first spring edition, which also marks the beginning of this cycle, we invite you to reflect on the meaning of Relations to, with and between, and try to envision new forms of relations, by delving into your creative imagination:
Imagine that, at the end of confinement:
- You choose not to maintain the relationships you kept with some beings, groups, organizations: which ones and why? How would you put an end to them? What protective measures can you put in place to shield yourself from these relationships?
- You decide to start new forms of relationships with beings, groups, organizations that were previously foreign to you: which ones? How do you go about it?
- Certain relationships or forms of relationships appeared to you as much more essential than you thought they would: which ones, how would you make room for them or reinvent them?