Jürgen Habermas to give lecture in Paviljoen

On Thursday 23 October, the famous German philosopher Jürgen Habermas is giving a lecture in the Erasmus Paviljoen.

Habermas had previously been invited to visit the EUR to collect an honorary doctorate, an invitation he declined as he no longer accepts such awards. Nevertheless, he is coming to Rotterdam now as our guest speaker.

Democratic challenges

The lecture will address the democratic challenges facing Europe and is entitled ‘How Europe faces the challenge of transnationalising democracy’. He will discuss how a democracy that is not bound to a nation state can be shaped. The European Union lacks several characteristics which all other democratic states have. For example, the EU has no monopoly on violence, nor the authority to determine the ultimate decision making. The question is whether such an organisation is capable of fulfilling the conditions and standards of a modern democracy.

At the end, philosopher Jos de Mul and sociologist Willem Schinkel will provide a commentary on the lecture. The lecture will take place in the Erasmus Paviljoen on Thursday 23 October, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Registration is compulsory and can be done here. Be quick, because places are being snapped up fast. TF (Photo: Wolfram Huke, wikimedia)