The social organization of the CSSM is based on creating new practices for knowledge production with emphasis on innovative, non-hierarchical organisation and collaboration. With the slime mould serving as our guiding metaphor, the CSSM’s core group — made up of all active CSSM members — provides input and impetus for the direction(s) the CSSM will take, making decisions collectively in our assembly meetings.
We had our first CSSM Day on May 25th, where the core group was able to meet for the first time in hybrid format: in-person and online! Our main goals for the day were to get to know each other informally, interact with microbes together, and to initiate concrete steps towards developing theory production, concept development, and collaboration.
Our activities included mindmapping, microbial meditation with core group member Riina Hannula, learning about urban rats and their complex microbial and human relations with Tuomas Aivelo of the Urban Rat Project, eating food fermented by our members, and discussing ways the CSSM can internally and externally encourage the cross-fertilization and development of concepts on microbes and the social study of microbes.
We had an inspiring and productive day, and look forward to more activities together and with others (human and non-human)!
Microbes included or mentioned during the day: Vagus nerve microbiome (microbial meditation), Lactobacilli (brine fermented food, bread starters, kefir), Hanta virus (urban rats), Campylobacter (urban rats), and various yeasts (bread starters, kefir).
