About BIEN
Founded in 1986, the Basic Income European Network (BIEN) aims to serve as a link between individuals and groups committed to, or interested in, basic income, i.e. an income unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without means test or work requirement, and to foster informed discussion on this topic throughout Europe.
Members of BIEN include academics, students and social policy practitioners as well as people actively engaged in political, social and religious organisations. They vary in terms of disciplinary backgrounds and political affiliations no less than in terms of age and citizenship. In the course of two decades, “BIEN” has become somewhat of a misnomer, as scholars and activists from other continents have actively joined the network.
Common to all is the belief that some sort of economic right based upon citizenship – rather than upon one’s relationship to the production process or one’s family status – is called for as part of the just solution to social problems in advanced societies. Basic Income, conceived as a universal and unconditional, if modest, continuous stream of income granted throughout life to all members of a political community is just the simplest and most striking element in an expanding set of social policy proposals inspired by this belief and currently debated, if not already implemented.
To actively foster this debate, BIEN publishes a newsletter which provides an up-to-date and comprehensive international overview on relevant events and publications. It organises bi-annual BIEN-congresses where people from more than twenty countries have met to report and discuss basic income and related proposals in connection with a broad spectrum of themes, such as unemployment, European integration, poverty, development, changing patterns of work career and family life, and principles of social justice.
BIEN expanded its scope from European to the Earth in 2004. It is an international network that serves as a link between individuals and groups committed to or interested in basic income, and fosters informed discussion of the topic throughout the world.
Learn more about us:
» Executive Committee » Annual Reports and Treasury Reports » A Short History of BIEN » Our National Affiliates across the World » Contact Us
Executive Committee
BIEN’s Executive Committee (“EC”) is elected by the General Assembly for a period extending to the latter’s next meeting. The Executive Committee can co-opt other people for specific tasks, but without voting rights. It meets at least once a year at the Secretary’s initiative. Within the limits set by the decisions of the General Assembly, it takes any action it judges useful to the pursuit of BIEN’s purposes.
Members of the Executive Committee, 2014-2016
Co-chair
Louise Haagh lh11@york.ac.uk, University of York, United Kingdom
Co-chair and News editor
Karl WIDERQUIST Karl@Widerquist.com, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Qatar.
Secretary
Anja Askeland askeladda@hotmail.com, Borgerlønn BIEN Norge and Unconditional Basic Income Europe
Treasurer
Borja Barragué borja.barrague@uam.es, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
EC Members for News & Outreach
Pablo YANES pyanes2007@gmail.com, Secretary of Social Development, Mexico City, Mexico
Toru YAMAMORI toruyamamori@gmail.com, Doshisha University, Japan
Andrea FUMAGALLI afuma@eco.unipv.it, University of Pavia, Italy (non-voting)
Conference Organizer: To be announced
Non EC members with official roles in BIEN
Honorary Co-Presidents
The Honorary Co-Presidents are past co-chairs of BIEN who continue to be actively involved in BIEN and who have been confirmed in this status by the General Assembly.
Claus OFFE offe@hertie-school.org, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany
Guy STANDING guystanding@standingnet.com, University of Bath, United Kingdom
Eduardo SUPLICY esuplicy@senado.gov.br, Federal Senator, São Paulo, Brazil
Website manager
Joerg Drescher joerg.drescher@iovialis.org, Project Jovialism, Kiev, Ukraine
Members of the International Advisory Board
The International Board consists of the current members of the Executive Committee, the representatives of the recognized national affiliates (listed below) and all the former members of BIEN’s Executive Committee.
Chair Philippe VAN PARIJS, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
Former members of BIEN’s Executive Committee: Almaz Zelleke Ingrid Van Niekirk Kelly Ernst James Mulvale Dorothee Schulte-Basta David Casassas Simon Birnbaum Alexander de Roo Jurgen De Wispelaere Seán Healy Lena Lavinas Edwin Morley-Fletcher Eri Noguchi José Antonio Noguera Claus Offe Ilona Ostner Steven Quilley Guy Standing Eduardo Suplicy Robert J. van der Veen Walter Van Trier Lieselotte Wohlgenannt
Het bericht BIEN (Basic Income Earth Network) verscheen eerst op Vereniging Basisinkomen.