EU Futures

In this episode, Olya Yordanyan talks to Eva Hausteiner [@evahausteiner], political theorist, intellectual historian, and author of "Greater than Rome" (Campus 2015), about the opening of new future(s) for Europe in the aftermath of recent crises. There is, Hausteiner says, despite the narrative of lack of alternatives, a renewed interest on the part of European citizens in revitalizing the Europe...

In this episode Olya Yordanyan talks to Emile Chabal [@emile_chabal], Chancellor's Fellow in History at the University of Edinburgh, about the uncertainty in Europe and about how to redefine the European project in a way that addresses people's disillusion and dissatisfaction with current political arrangements. Chabal contrasts the highly individualized conception of "choice" that emerged under n...

In this episode, Olya Yordanyan talks to German journalist Georg Diez about emerging forms of democracy and his own work to develop platforms in order to promote democratic discourse and to connect citizens around the globe to the promise of the future, something lost in light of recent institutional failures. Diez emphasizes the importance of citizen involvement, and even effort, for democracies...

In this episode, Felix Krawatzek draws on his research on how ideas about the future come into the play in the present in order to describe current trends in Europe, notably, the recent deviation in wake of the Brexit vote, from a linear path of "ever closer union." He shares his belief that European citizens remain committed to - and ready to defend - liberal values. It is therefore important for...

In this episode, Olya Yordanyan talks to Erik Jones about the idea of "Europe" and why it has losing currency in the face of populist challenges . He describes the failure of European democracy and the need for a compelling vision that to counter the rising nationalism that is keeping Europe mired in the present. He expresses his admiration for the single currency, among other accomplishments of t...

In this episode, German political scientist Florian Böller talks to Olya Yordanyan about the emerging future in Europe. The problems facing Europe, he explains, cannot be solved at the level of the nation state, so it is imperative for Europe to move beyond its current crises and to rebuild trust in European institutions. He describes the the election of Trump in the United States as an opportunit...

In this episode, Prof. Sofia Perez talks to Toria Rainey about the state of democracy in Europe and some of the reasons behind the emergence of far right and "new left" populism. She explains the causes of the fiscal instability plaguing Europe and the current disagreements over the best way forward for Europe: deeper integration or re-establishment of national sovereignty. [Date of interview: Feb...

In this episode, Bruce Leimsidor talks to our program assistant Toria Rainey about the emerging future in Europe with a focus on the refugee crisis. Leimsidor explains the importance of differentiating refugees from other migrants to avoid political backlash. From the sociopolitical arrangements in France, to Angela Merkel’s Germany, and from the future of Italy, from Sweden’s growing democratic p...

n this episode, Ruxandra Paul uses her background in cyber politics and transnational flows of both information and ideas to explain the importance of migration patterns as they pertain to the future of Europe. Paul explains the need for easily traversable borders to allow for access to employment opportunities across country borders, something she deems a facet of the European lifestyle. From cop...

In this episode, Peter Verovšek shares his opinion on the importance of the EU in age of globalization and uncertainty. He discusses the future of the European Common Security and Defense Policies, in addition to stressing the necessity for a deepening institutions related to the banking system and social policies to counterbalance the rise of populist candidates in European elections. [Date of in...

In this episode, Dr. Kaija Schilde shares her understanding of the migration crisis in Europe as a result of political unresponsiveness. She explains the poor state of democracy in the EU and cites a need for an increased ability for citizens to demand transparency of politicians and institutions. Additionally, Dr. Schilde speaks about impact of Donald Trump's election on the populist movements in...

In this episode, Nicholas Prevelakis, discusses the structural elements of the crises facing Europe - the lingering Eurozone crisis, the refugee crisis, and Brexit - and shares his thoughts on the prospects for democratic politics in the European Union, given the association of democracy with the nation state, in particular among older generations. He talks about the upcoming constitutional refere...

In this episode, Olya Yordanyan talks to Yascha Mounk about the emerging future in Europe and the deep crisis of liberal democracy playing out around the world from India to the United States. Mounk attributes the rise of populist forces to the erosion of the preconditions for liberal democracy. What we are seeing, as a result, are “illiberal democracies" on the one hand, and "undemocratic liberal...

In this episode, Sandra Porcar talks to Cristina Ares, Professor of Political Science at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Dr. Ares's research concerns the role of regions in the EU. She shares her understanding of the future as something that is always being created and in which citizens may participate. She expresses some worry about the current tensions between EU member states...

In this episode, Sandra Porcar talks to Ermal Frasheri, Growth Lab Fellow at the Center for International Development at Harvard University. Ermal's current research focuses on socio-economic development and regional integration processes in the Balkans. Ermal describes what he believes are the two rifts defining present day Europe, namely, the Eurozone crisis and the emergence of gap between the...

Enjoy this short conversation with Austrian-Slovenian writer Maja Haderlap and our program assistant Toria Rainey. Maja describes the fluid nature of her relationship to Europe, her understanding of political Europe as a work on progress, and her hope for Europe to assume a more proactive role on the political stage. Translation assistance is provided by Tess Lewis. [Date of interview: October 13,...

In this episode, Olya and Sandra talk to Marxist writer Richard Seymour. Seymour discuses the pathologies plaguing Europe owing to the crisis of capitalism and the ensuing sovereign debt crisis and the need to rethink the laws of social and economic life on which Europe is based. He talks about the importance of beginning, not with a blue-print, but in the anti-utopian style of Marx, building capa...

In this episode, Olya and Toria talk to Ambassador Vesko Garcevic about the emerging future in Europe. Amb. Garcevic discusses what he sees as the four issues at the heart of this question, namely, the boundaries of the EU, the matter of Turkey, the EU's relationship with Russia, and lastly, the EU's relationship with the US. He talks about the need to be realistic, in particular during times of c...

In this episode Italian philosopher Franco "Bifo" Berardi discusses the dangers facing Europe and the need to rethink democracy from scratch in a time of hypercomplexity and technolinguistic automatisms. (Date of Interview: September 26, 2016)

Toria Rainy talks with Dr. Gerry Alons, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Political Science Department of the Radboud University Nijmegen, about direct vs. representative democracy in the European Union and her changed expectations with regard to Europe's future. She stresses the need to ask realistic questions when considering where do we go from here and the need to put natio...

German journalist Wolfgang Bauer discusses his new book, Crossing the Sea: With Syrians on the Exodus to Europe and the emerging future in Europe with our outreach coordinator Olya Yordanyan. (Date of interview: September 22, 2016)

In this episode, Barbara Boschetti, Associate Professor of Administrative Law at the Catholic University of Milan (Italy), discusses the state of democracy in the EU, distinguishing procedural democracy from ballot box democracy. She shares her optimism regarding the future of the EU, even after Brexit, which she argues may in fact strengthen federalist processes. (Date of interview: September 8,...

In this episode, Toria Rainy talks to Igor Lukes, Professor of International Relations and History at Boston University about the "civilizing role" of the European Union on the European continent, the politics of hate behind some critiques of the EU's so-called "democratic deficit," and the lingering threat to Europe's future posed by Russia. (Date of interview: April 22, 2016)

In this interview Toria Rainy talks to Joe Wippl, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Boston University's Pardee School of Global Studies about his long career with the CIA in Europe, challenges facing the EU, notably, uneven economic growth and uneven burden sharing during the current migration crisis, and the importance of transatlantic relationship to future peace and securi...

This episode is a conversation with Vlad Perju, a Romanian Professor of Law at Boston College Law School, who identifies and addresses the two conflicting projects of European integration: one based upon fusion and unity, the other centered on cooperation and coordination of Member States. He talks about the challenge of European versus national law, and highlights some of the discontinuities in t...