FIT – Fanaticism Indicator Test

Project launch – first partners meeting – working conference

Castrum Peregrini and Goethe Institut in association with the Dialogue Advisory Group

Amsterdam 25 and 26 September 2009

Working language: English

As a practical conclusion drawn from the project application we suggest to work in three strands:

1)         on the general theme of fanaticism

2)         on the local/regional aspects of fanaticism (specific situation and practice of the involved partner organisations): couleur local; collection of best practice

3)         on measurement tools: the Fanaticism Indicator Test – development of methodology, questionnaire and online application

These three aspects give structure to all our project meetings, so that strand 1 is an ongoing discussion across all meetings (to be documented online) leading to a final (publishable) conclusion. Strand 2 highlights the situation of the partner institution hosting a meeting and the work of strand 3 would develop in-between the meetings by a working group set up during the first meeting. They would present and discuss their proceedings during all project meetings.

Ram Manikkalingam will follow the whole conference as an observer and will give critical feedback in the end.

Friday, 25 September

Castrum Peregrini, Herengracht 401

For project partners only:

 

13h00

Welcome by Lars Ebert
Introduction in weekend schedule and housekeeping announcements
Presentation of project objectives

14h00
Introduction of project partners (15 minutes maximum each)

15h30
Coffee break

16h00
Workshop: Problems and practice of involved partner institutions. (10 minutes each); Presentation and discussion. Chaired by Joachim Umlauf, director Goethe Institut Amsterdam

17h30
End of first session

18h00
Dinner at Brasserie Harkema (http://www.brasserieharkema.nl/)

 

20h00 – public part
Roundtable talk on Fanaticism 

Ram Manikkalingam (Universiteit van Amsterdam) and Bert van den Brink  (University of Utrecht) will both give an introduction in the subject before they enter into a dialogue involving the public.

 

Saturday 26 September

Castrum Peregrini, Herengracht 401

10h00
Workshop (Strand 1)
Joachim Umlauf, director Goethe Institut, Amsterdam
Definition of Fanaticism (in: Anthropology, Sociology, History, Literature, Performing Arts, Fine Arts etc.)

when and why does one gets fanatic?
why is one individual more vulnerable than the other?
what is needed to realise one has tendencies towards fanaticism?
when can you call somebody fanatic?

11h00
Coffee break

11h30
Workshop (Strand 3)
Presentation and discussion of the existing (Dutch) FIT, the ‘Weerbaarheidsmeter’;
Dirk Jansen, Chair Stefan Zweig Society

12h30
Lunch break (see list with suggested lunchrooms)

Goethe Institut, Herengracht 470

14h30
Breakout groups:

1) task force: Fanaticism Indicator Test; Dirk Jansen and Michael Defuster (Strand 3)

2) task force: collecting and making accessible of best practice; Lars Ebert and Joachim Umlauf (Strand 2)

15h30
Coffee break

16h00
Feedback by Ram Manikkalingam and discussion

17h00
End of afternoon sessions; meeting of responsible representatives of partner institutions to define date and agenda of next meetings. Signing of co-operation agreement.

18h00
Dinner at Goethe Institute

19h00
Film screening The Wave, with presentation of didactic material