My year of living without money: Carolien Hoogland at TEDxErasmusUniversity

Carolien Hoogland is an Action Researcher, meaning she co-operates with communities to facilitate problem solving of these communities. Her training was in Environmental Studies, using the social sciences to understand sustainable behaviour. Her PhD in Environmental Psychology (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), using classical research methods, boosted her motivation to understand change through new methods such as participatory research. In 2008 she joined the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) at the Erasmus University. Inspired by the people and way of thinking at the institute, Carolien embarked on a personal experiment: in 2010 she lived outside the monetary system, gaining food and other needs through bartering. The year turned out very fruitful with many serendipical lessons about her life and work, our economy, and societal dynamics. Carolien lives in Rotterdam. She is the mother of Max (2006) and Maya (2012) and wife to Erwin. She currently conducts a research project on the energy transition, working with home owners's associations.