EU Futures

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 Europe, and the internal security crisis of the EU. [Date of interview: November 29, 2016]

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 referendum in Italy and the presidential elections in France and the role of citizens in shaping the future of Europe, among several other topics. [Date of interview: November 21, 2016]

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 liberalism" on the other. The question Mounk raises is whether civil society is strong enough to resist or whether these pendulum swings are the new normal. He stresses the need to protect and further the rights of minorities without succumbing to the sort of "identity politics" that can alienate the majority.

Yascha Mounk is a Lecturer on Political Theory at Harvard University's Government Department, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Transatlantic Academy of the German Marshall Fund, and a Nonresident Fellow at New America's Political Reform Program. [Date of interview: October 31, 2016]

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, and in particular, between national governments and the EU, and stresses the need for a renewed focus on solidarity and a renewed commitment to the European social model. [Date of interview: October 27, 2016]

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 richer north and poorer south and the migrant crisis which is forcing European nations to re-examine their core values. These rifts are exacerbated by tensions in the Balkans, Turkey and Ukraine. The rifts persist, Ermal suggests, because the problems facing Europe are transnational in nature, while remedies remain national, or reliant on national structures. [Date of interview: October 21, 2016]

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, 2016]

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 capacities for socialism in the present that can address some of capitalism's worst tendencies. The transition to a socialist Europe, he argues, will require the convergence of several types of power. He concludes by saying that "we need to talk about movement building, party building and how we can work with the state even when the state is working against us." [Date of interview: October 17, 2016]

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 crisis, but also shares his dream of a united Europe. [Date of interview: October 14, 2016]

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 national differences aside in the search for common solutions. (Date of interview: September 23, 2016)