Moise dialogues: Re-thinking democracy after pandemics

MOISE Dialogue – Rationale:

It is not an extraordinary intellectual feat to argue that the world/democracy has changed due and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Quite the contrary, it is almost banal to state that the democracy is permanently in flux. Yet, change itself is not always the same, and this time, its coordinates and constellations are different. Questions we might ask and answers returned are shaped by different variables in our “new normal”. Thus, it is so important to trace and follow the changes using all possible intellectual and scientific tools designed to understand and attempt to grasp the world/democracy. We have to re-think space and time we inhabit. This is precisely the launching point of MOISE Dialogues: curiosity, the quest for understanding the world and human action in it. MOISE Dialogues will feature some of the most renowned thinkers and public intellectuals of our time, but also offer space for “unexpected encounters” among these actors in dialogue.

MOISE Dialogue – 1^st edition: Lisa Herzog and Jonathan Wolff

With the help of the Erste Foundation, the 1^st edition of MOISE Dialogue will host Lisa Herzog (University of Groningen) and Jonathan Wolff (Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford), members of the Moise Palace Board of Patrons.

Both Jonathan Wolff and Lisa Herzog are intensely engaged in re-thinking democracy today. Their endeavours include new and innovative research projects to revitalise democracy and civil society (Jonathan Wolff), and the study of democracy and its futures between governance and counter-publics (Lisa Herzog). Moreover, their wider engagement as public intellectuals ranges from the future of Europe and democracy, inequalities and social justice, to politics of emotions and global vaccine strategies.

The 1^st edition of Moise Dialogues will be a week-long residence of IWM Fellows at Moise Palace, as part of the programme “Europe’s Future”. It will provide an opportunity for discussion among fellows (present and alumni) of the Center for Advanced Studies, Southeast Europe (CAS SEE) and  “Europe’s Future” Programme, IWM and Erste Foundation.

BACKGROUND:

MOISE p(A)lace is a North Adriatic cultural monument of considerable historical, artistic and symbolic importance, located in the old town centre of Cres, Croatia. It is at once a unique forum space for intellectual creativity and collective work that fosters ground-breaking ideas and leads to actual change. MOISE aims to evolve into one of the most inspiring spaces of dialogue and future-shaping thought in Europe. It puts forward daring innovation and real impact through an International Board involving Erhard Busek, Hedvig Morvai, Ivan Vejvoda, and other esteemed colleagues and friends of the University of Rijeka.

MOISE Dialogues are organised by the Center for Advanced Studies Southeast Europe, University of Rijeka (CAS SEE), the Institute for Democratic Engagement of Southeast Europe (IDESE) and the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade (IFDT). It is powered by the Erste Foundation.