Next step: testing the characters. Are they believable, relatable, diverse enough?
We’ll find out in the coming months.

#TransformativeRolePlaying #TRP #Men4Dem #ViaBerlin #Emancipator #PlaySpace #Masculinity #Radicalisation #CoCreation

The first TRP will premiere in June 2026 in Gdańsk, Poland, followed by test sessions with our Men4Dem partners in
🇵🇱 Poland • 🇬🇷 Greece • 🇮🇹 Italy • 🇩🇪 Germany • 🇸🇪 Sweden

By stepping into another person’s shoes, participants engage in embodied reflection: a way to challenge assumptions, develop empathy, and create awareness of social dynamics.

Transformative Role Playing (TRP) is an experiential form of role play where participants don’t just act out a role - they experience change in perspective, behaviour, or awareness.

From this starting point, we began shaping the characters, their relationships, and moments of transformation. The first insights from our research project “When did you leave?” (Oerol 2025) serve as a key source of inspiration.

Our recent brainstorm, began with a simple question led by Jens from Emancipator, : what do we mean by masculinity and femininity and aren’t these, in essence, human qualities?

🇪🇺 Co-creation Transformative Role Playing – Men4Dem

Together with @emancipatornl.bsky.social and Bruno Setola, we are developing a new form of Transformative Role Playing (TRP) within the European project @men4dem.bsky.social , exploring the themes of masculinity, radicalisation, and democracy.

🇪🇺 Through @men4dem.bsky.social we explore how art, science, and society can foster visibility, empathy, and inclusion in times of polarization.

This report is valuable not only for MEN4DEM but also as inspiration for other projects and institutions working in hostile or polarized settings.

🧠 Read the full report here 👉 zenodo.org/records/1526...

While tailored to MEN4DEM, this framework offers a transferable roadmap for building collective, democratic researcher safety infrastructures across diverse contexts.

Within the European project MEN4DEM, they also developed a Researcher Safety Helpdesk - with trainings, a resource library, and peer-support sessions.

In their new report Safe Research Ethics Framework, Brit Anlar and Liza Mügge (University of Amsterdam) propose an alternative.

Their framework is rooted in Feminist Care Ethics, centering care, solidarity, and shared responsibility.

Most ethical guidelines focus on protecting participants. But the vulnerability of researchers themselves is often overlooked.

💼 Doing research safely

Research on sensitive topics is becoming increasingly risky. Studies on gender, diversity, or the far right often trigger hate campaigns, threats, and institutional pressure.

When did you leave? was developed by Via Berlin in collaboration with researchers from the University of Amsterdam. It was a theatrical experiment that explored themes of radicalization and masculinity.

@via-berlin.bsky.social #MEN4DEM

Photos: Nichon Glerum

Recently, Via Berlin, the Artistic Partner in MEN4DEM, performed “When did you leave?" at Oerol Festival on Terschelling.

Learn more at lnkd.in/em4BeKKt

Learn more about MEN4DEM at www.men4dem.eu

@via-berlin.bsky.social #MEN4DEM

(Q) Why MEN4DEM is important

In a time of increasing polarization, we believe that shared artistic experiences can bring people closer together.

@via-berlin.bsky.social #MEN4DEM

Radicale onderdompeling: een theaterexperiment op Oerol - StukRoodVlees De Nationaal Coördinator Terrorismebestrijding en Veiligheid (NCTV) signaleerde begin deze week dat jongeren online radicaliseren. Dit is maar een enkel voorbeeld van een bredere ontwikkeling: politie...

Weer op weg naar het vasteland na een fantastisch project op @oerolterschelling.bsky.social. Meer weten over ons onderzoek daar met @via-berlin.bsky.social? Zie deze blog:
stukroodvlees.nl/radicale-ond...

Radicale onderdompeling: een theaterexperiment op Oerol - StukRoodVlees De Nationaal Coördinator Terrorismebestrijding en Veiligheid (NCTV) signaleerde begin deze week dat jongeren online radicaliseren. Dit is maar een enkel voorbeeld van een bredere ontwikkeling: politie...

Op festival Oerol speelden we de afgelopen dagen 18 keer de voorstelling ‘When did you leave’ voor 3,500 bezoekers. Vandaag was de laatste dag. Nieuwsgierig? Lees onderstaande blog. En check vooral ook de fantastische video aan het eind.
stukroodvlees.nl/radicale-ond...

Waarom spreken radicale ideeën zoveel mensen aan? Niet (alleen) door feiten, maar juist ook door verhalen. Althans, dat was onze verwachting. Om dit te onderzoeken hebben we een project opgezet met muziektheatergezelschap Via Berlin. Samen ontwikkelden we een theatervoorstelling en experiment in 1.

Tot zondag nog op Oerol de voorstelling Why did you leave van @via-berlin.bsky.social. @mrooduijn.bsky.social en ik zijn er ook met een groep onderzoekers voor een studie over populisme, gender en mannelijkheid!

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 runs at Oerol through June 22.

🎧 A music theatre experience like no other.
📸 Nichon Glerum

#WhenDidYouLeave #ViaBerlin #Oerol2025 #Men4Dem

💬 “All your senses are triggered by the mix of dance, music, acting and narrative. You feel the warmth of the sun; together it makes for an intense experience.”

💬 “I’m already checking if I can see it again with a friend.”

💬 “A deeply impressive performance with so many layers.”

💬 “This isn't traditional theatre. The storytelling format is both beautiful and illuminating and with headphones, you're completely in your own bubble.”

The first performances of 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 at Oerol are done! We asked for your thoughts and the responses were overwhelming. 🙏🏼 Thank you for your support and massive turnout. All shows through June 22 are sold out.

#WhenDidYouLeave #ViaBerlin #Oerol2025

📆 When did you leave?
Premieres at Oerol, June 13–22
Two performances daily, 10:30 & 14:30
#ViaBerlin #MEN4DEM #Oerol2025 #GerManosphere #artsbasedscience #manosphere #radicalisation

🇪🇺 Part of the European research project MEN4DEM, we explore how the triangle of art, science and society can help create empathy, visibility and resilience in polarizing times.

In collaboration with @uva.nl and @emancipatornl.bsky.social

In our new performance When did you leave? we explore how this plays out in personal relationships.
When do you lose someone to a digital reality that grows increasingly hostile?
How does doubt harden into ideology?
And how do we reconnect?