With Mascha Schädlich (Conceptual Work for a New Economy) (Small Room) (German)

The writing workshop “Telling History Through Writing – A Journey to the Year 2248” with Mascha Schädlich from Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie offered participants a creative opportunity to actively engage with utopian visions of a sustainable future. The workshop was a successful combination of critical reflection and creative practice, engaging participants on both a rational and emotional level.

At the beginning of the workshop, there was a round of introductions in which participants reflected on how they had previously encountered the term "utopia." Interestingly, utopia was often perceived with a rather negative connotation—as an unrealistic or even unattainable concept—but also as something important and worth striving for. After that, we embarked on a "dream journey" to the year 2248: here, participants were invited to let their thoughts run free and fill the given story framework with personal wishes and details. This was followed by a lively exchange about the individually experienced visions of what an ideal home in the future might look like. Next came a brief introduction to the book The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. The text encouraged reflection on different societal models and prepared participants for their own writing: based on one of seven suggested topics, participants could write a literary text that portrayed their utopia on the chosen theme. Those who wished were invited to read their texts aloud afterward. This laid the foundation for another engaging exchange—both about the content and the experience of free writing.

The workshop was very well received by all participants. The only minor drawback was the wish for more time to delve deeper into their own utopias. Nevertheless, it offered a good balance between individual creativity and collective exchange. Throughout the workshop, it once again became clear how much a better global coexistence depends on international interconnections, and what great responsibility the Global North bears—and must take on. The willingness of each individual to think in new and utopian ways is a prerequisite for positive change, and this could be practiced within the framework of the workshop.