Science & Cocktails: Why humanitarianism needs changing

Thea Hilhorst is a professor of humanitarian studies at the International Institute for Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University in The Hague. She is also the president of the International Humanitarian Studies Association (IHSA). Her focus is on aid-society relations: studying how aid is embedded in the context, impacts on governments and society, and is shaped by the manifold actions of actors in and around programmes for protection, service delivery and capacity development. She has a special interest in the intersections of humanitarianism with development, peacebuilding and gender-relations. Her research programmes have taken place in settings affected by disaster, conflict and fragility, including Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Sri Lanka. One of her recent research programme concerns cases where 'conflict meets disaster', that studies disaster governance in high-conflict, low-conflict and post-conflict societies. In 2022, she was awarded the Spinoza Price, the highest scientific distinction in the Netherlands.

Min Taka, an Istanbul/Rotterdam-based artist, blends genres like indie, liquid drum and bass, synth, and hyperpop to explore themes of identity, belonging, femininity, and connection. Inspired by artists such as Mitski and Charli XCX, her sound ranges from soft and intimate to intense electronic energy. Her latest project, Partiyi Durdurun!, was released in December 2023. Since 2020, she has released multiple singles and an EP, performing at various festivals and venues. She continues to perform in the Netherlands, featuring both Turkish and unreleased English tracks, aiming to make a mark on the European music scene.