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Masculinities for the Future of European Democracy

MEN4DEM

Via Berlin is partner in the Horizon Europe-funded research project MEN4DEM - 2025 till 2027. True transformation begins where diverse perspectives meet. Together we co-create pathways to a more inclusive and democratic future.

MEN4DEM is an innovative collaborative co-creation project that involves six partner universities as well as a theater group and a gender justice organization. Together, we aim to gain knowledge about and develop strategies and concrete tools for transforming political masculinities for the future of European democracy. We build on a number of different competencies and experiences and the people involved are listed below.

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The project is based on the collaboration within the triangle of society-art-science.

Society gives us the reasons to work for change, art contributes with emotions and a deeper form of experience-based knowledge, while science helps us systematize to know what works and what does not. Through arts-based research and creative interventions, we create space for dialogue and change, with a focus on amplifying diverse voices. Our mission is to increase the impact of scientific research and contribute to a more just and inclusive society.

Via Berlin

Via Berlin will develop artistic interventions – two music theater pieces, a video installation, and a game – in co-creation with gender justice organization Emancipator and the consortium of academics. Via Berlin is an innovative art organization (rooted in the music theatre tradition) that brings art and science together to address societal challenges in order to permanently enhance paradigm shifts, increasing mutual understanding and empathy for other perspectives. Via Berlin develops interactive projects, training programs, and research initiatives that foster reflection, empathy and engagement with permanent impact. Via Berlin will be instrumental in planning , designing and executing the co-creation activities that lay the foundation for a joint framework in MEN4DEM aiming for a deeper understanding of the triangle arts – science – society and produce tools with lasting usability.

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Emancipator

Emancipator is the only organisation in the Netherlands solely working on involving boys, men and masculinities in gender justice. Conversations about gender equality are usually focused on women and lgbtqia+ people, while the core of the issue is all too often in oppressive traditional masculinity norms. For real gender equality men need to change as well. Transforming masculinities means that men have to contribute to women’s emancipation, and will liberate men from traditional masculinities. We work in different projects on the prevention of violent masculinities, promoting caring masculinities, and normalizing sexual and gender diversity.

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Learn more at www.men4dem.eu

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Projects

As part of Men4Dem, Via Berlin will develop four new artistic projects between 2025 and 2027.

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  • The music theatre performance When did you leave?’ – premiering at the Oerol festival June 2025, Netherlands.

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  • The theatrical Live to play GAME immersing audiences in the themes of ‘When did you leave?’ – June 2026, Poland.

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  • An immersive video installation – June 2026, Poland.

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  • The music theatre performance ‘Rauw / Rouw / Raw’ – A performance proposing a new vision for the future – Netherlands and Greece, 2027.

Credits

Academic Consortium

Social and artistic partners

Funders

  • EU Horizon (funder)

International Advisory Board

  • Bharath Ghanesh – University of Amsterdam
  • Cristian Norocel – University of Lund
  • Jolanta Reingaarde – European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)
  • Jutta Lindert – University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer
  • Katarzyna Wojnicka – University of Göteborg
  • Kseniya Kizilova – World Values Survey Association
  • Tarik Abou-Chadi  – University of Oxford

Affiliated experts

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