13 -14 Decemeber 2008: The Danube conference

at Felix Meritis and University of Amsterdam.

 

CURRENT UTOPIAN THOUGHT
This workshop aims to identify the utopian elements of currents schools of thought. We will explore in what respect neo-liberal and fundamentalist thought are utopian, what the alternatives are and whether pragmatism really is an alternative. Is current social democracy not also an outcome of socialist utopian thought? We shall discuss how different schools of thought relate to each other and which role they play in modern society.

COUNTERING NATIONLISM IN THE BALKAN; VISIONS FOR EUROPEA
Utopian ideal lays at the foundation of Europe; to have peace between all European nations. This may seem evident in some parts of the continent; it is not in South Eastern Europe. Nations are ideological constructs with a perceived notion of inclusiveness based on language and/or religion. Europe transcends these Herderian identity-markers by creating a togetherness based on human rights and the idea of having a shared history as a continent. In order to fulfill Europe`s ideal of creating peace and stability on the ENTIRE continent the lures and traps of nationalism will have to be faced. Co-operation and making contacts across ethnic divides is crucial. With this workshop we will explore what a contemporary utopian vision of Europe could or should look like.

PLENARY SESSSION: Group re-coup of ideas.

 

If there is Utopian thought in Europe today, it is not a visionary utopianism but nostalgic utopianism; the yearning for the past when everything was better. This nostalgia tends to manifest itself in nationalism, xenophobia and islamophobia.  Do people really wish to go back to the 1950's when everything was artificially homogenous? Are nostalgic feelings completely unproductive or can they be a source of inspiration as well? Can this yearning for the past be transformed into inspiration for the future? This workshop will explore these ideas.

LIBERAL UTOPIA

Once, liberal thought inspired people to unite against absolutism and tyranny. Today, liberalism seems to have lost much of its inspirational power. The unswerving liberal devotion to the free market system as a panacea for the problems of the world is less and less convincing. Rather, economic liberalism is seen as an overly pragmatic if not defeatist and ruthless rationalization of an unjust and bitter status quo. Recalling the ideas of the great liberal thinkers of the past centuries will not be enough to overcome this challenge. Rather, new inspirational ideas need to be put forward in defense of a society of mature and responsible citizens with minimal state intervention. To this end, the workshop will develop ideas on what a 21st century utopia would look like from a liberal perspective.

PLENARY SESSSION: Group re-coup of ideas

 

Felix Meritis, 13 December 2008   (Open to the public)

 

Historian and Philosopher Theodore Zeldin conceived the Oxford Muse conversation dinners, as method to stimulate real communication in order to improve trust, cooperation and collaboration. On the menu will be an extended eastern European tea ceremony with various sweets. With every new sweet, the participants receive a question on what kind of Europe we want to be living in and discuss it in pairs. At the end of the workshop there will be a plenary discussion on the ideas that emerged in the personal conversations.The workshop will be organized and led by ‘Danubian’ Leo Halepli in association with Theodor Zeldin.  www.oxfordmuse.com.

 

The global financial crisis has thoroughly debunked the widely held ideal of the free market. Authorities are now looking to tighten regulation, outlaw certain speculation practices and a number of banks have been nationalized. The workshop will focus on the interplay between the ideology of neo-liberalism and the financial crisis. We will explore the possibilities of Europe with its compromise of neo-liberalism and social democracy to lead the way.This workshop will be led by Sophie Bloemen & Jonas Wandrin (Investment Banker, BNP Paribas, London).

15.00-17.00 WORKSHOP III – THE HELSINKI AGREEMENTS REVISITED

The Helsinki Agreements were of major importance to the rise of civil society in Europe during the dark years of the Cold War. They gave particular impetus to the East-West relations in the field of cultural exchange and the mobility of ideas. What can we learn from the role of civil society in the cold war for the problems Europe is facing now? This workshop will introduce on screen European personalities Andrej Sinjavski, Andrej Bitov and Günter Grass among others. Looking to the future, we will reflect on the Helsinki process and invite participants to come up with potential ideas for unconventional (inter)national civic action to contribute to A Soul for Europe.This workshop will be led by Steve Austen (A Soul for Europe) & Karolina Nowacki

 

Danube presents its Manifesto & Thoughts on Utopia. Following the presentation, young European thinkers from East and West, politicians and representatives of the media will discuss Utopia and Europe. The conversation will refer to different aspects and ideas on utopia such as nostalgia as a backward looking utopianism, now increasingly evident in many parts of Europe; the role of utopia for a vision for society; current utopian thought such as fundamentalist Islam, neo-liberalism, and more.Moderator:     Maurice Fraser, Senior Teaching fellow in European Politics at London School of Economics/ Leo Halepli, PhD student London School of EconomicsSpeakers:     Valentina Pop, Journalist European Affairs, EU ObserverSteve Austen, publicist and organizer “A Soul for Europe”Maximilian Freier, PhD student London School of EconomicsEdi Rama, Mayor of Tirana (Albania) and artist.Jacques Monasch, candidate leader PvdA European Parliament