New Books in Critical Theory Eva Meijer, "Multispecies Assemblies" (Vine Press, 2025)
Oct 21, 2025
In this discussion, Eva Meijer, a renowned philosopher and visual artist, delves into the revolutionary idea of multispecies assemblies, where nonhuman beings engage as political actors. She argues for the necessity of incorporating diverse life forms into political discourse to combat ecological crises. Topics include the ethics of representation, the cognitive capacities of plants, and how gardens can serve as democratic thought experiments. Meijer emphasizes learning from and listening to all species to foster truly inclusive communities.
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Life With Multispecies Housemates
- Eva Meijer describes living with Doris the ex-street dog and Mies the cat while working across art, philosophy, and multispecies projects.
- She recounts forming a Multispecies Art Collective that makes art for nonhuman audiences and collaborates with animals.
Art For Nonhuman Audiences
- Meijer recommends reading her novel See Now and describes art projects that foreground nonhuman makers like nests and burrows.
- She shares collective projects: pigeon workshops, fountains for insects and birds, and art made with dogs.
Assemblies As A Practical Start
- Meijer links her PhD work on political animal voices to the need for experimental democratic forms that include nonhumans.
- She argues assemblies can be a practical starting point to learn political partnership with other beings.
