Vision Your Voice
How do you see the future in your town amidst pollution?
Are you a resident of Beverwijk, Ijmuiden or Wijk aan Zee or the towns in the municipality of Velsen over 18 years old? Then send us your photo taken in this area which will answer the question: How do you see the future in your town amidst pollution?
Become a part of this project – contribute with a photo!
How do the residents of the IJmond region in the North-West coastal area of the Netherlands see their futures amidst the pollution?
The cities and villages across the coastal IJmond region in the Netherlands have been in the spotlight, as their citizens face pollution caused by Tata Steel, a multinational steel factory. In January 2022, RIVM’s (Dutch public health agency under the Ministry of Health) study showed a causal relationship between Tata Steel’s pollution and health risks in this region. This steel maker is the largest polluter of carbon dioxide and lead in the Netherlands and at the same time provides great job possibilities. This website documents how the residents of the IJmond region in the North-West coastal area of the Netherlands see their futures amidst the pollution.
This project studies polluted industrial cities in the region of the North-West coastal area of the Netherlands
Vision Your Voice is an anthropological project which aims to visually document experiences of the citizens who live in this area and to facilitate collaboration between the researchers and the societal actors who live in polluted industrial cities in the IJmond region. Some (still limited) ethnographic research showed how everyday life of the citizens who live there is shaped by the irreconcilable demands for a healthier environment and economic growth. This “double bind” has attracted interests of life scientists, journalists, theatre and documentary film makers, but social sciences have been so far neglecting this problem. This website is devoted to tackling this issue and aims to document how the citizens of this area see their everyday and their futures amidst pollution. The aim is to raise awareness and further try to facilitate public interdisciplinary academic debates in order to create both scientific and social impact.