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American Academy Alumni Seminar

The New Populisms and Nationalisms: Transatlantic Perspectives

The impending departure of Britain from the European Union and the election of Donald Trump have transformed the historical moment into a test for liberal democracies. These developments come on the heels of challenges to democratic norms in countries such as Hungary, Poland, France, Italy, Denmark, and the Netherlands, as well as in India and Turkey. In Russia, Vladimir Putin’s regime is a stark counterweight to the values of liberal democracy. Around the globe, nationalism has become central to the rejection of the international postwar order.

In the midst of this change, skilled observers—academics, journalists, political actors—disagree over what “kind” of nationalism has come to the fore: is it the older nationalism of the twentieth century, dormant and now reawakened? Or is it a new nationalism, with novel components and contingencies? If so, what are they and to whom do they appeal? What is their effect on the transatlantic relationship?

To explore these questions, the American Academy in Berlin joins with The New School for Social Research to bring together scholars from The New School faculty and American Academy alumni for two panel discussions—one on the United States and Western Europe, and one on Russia and Eastern Europe—followed by a discussion with the audience.

Welcoming Remarks: William Milberg, Dean and Professor of Economics, The New School for Social Research, and Michael P. Steinberg, President, American Academy in Berlin

Panel 1: The Transatlantic Condition. Chair: Harry Liebersohn, Center for Advanced Study; Professor of History, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With Sean Wilentz, George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of History, Princeton University; Katherine Ewing, Professor of Religion, Columbia University; Federico Finchelstein, Professor of History, The New School for Social Research; Ellen Kennedy, Professor of Political Science, The University of Pennsylvania

Panel 2: Russia and Eastern Europe. Chair: Chair: Virág Molnár, Associate Professor of Sociology, The New School for Social Research. With Laura Engelstein, Henry S. McNeil Professor Emerita of Russian History, Yale University; Jochen Hellbeck, Distinguished Professor of History, Rutgers University; Kate Brown, Professor of History, University of Maryland at Baltimore; Jessica Pisano, Associate Professor of Politics, The New School for Social Research

Closing Remarks: Roger Cohen, Author and Op-Ed Columnist, New York Times; and Trustee, American Academy in Berlin

In collaboration with The New School for Social Research at The New School

05 Apr 18
Special Events
05.04.2018
14:00 - 17:30
The New School for Social Research
Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, Arnhold Hall
55 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011

This event took place on April 5, 2018.

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