Past Events

	Title	Date	Type	Speakers
	Love Troubles: How Love Drives Transformation	Thu, 25.09.2025, 19:00	Festivals	Federica Gregoratto, Dessy Gavrilova	Love Troubles: How Love Drives Transformation Vienna Humanities Festival 2025 Thu, 25.09.2025, 19:00 Speakers: Federica Gregoratto, Dessy Gavrilova Series: Festivals In her talk at the Vienna Humanities Festival 2025, philosopher Federica Gregoratto explored how love has been conceptualized throughout Western philosophy—from Plato and Hegel to the Frankfurt School, Simone de Beauvoir, and Audre Lorde. Drawing on this tradition, she offered an original perspective on how eros shapes individual freedom and social transformation in the context of contemporary power struggles. Read more
Love Troubles: How Love Drives Transformation Vienna Humanities Festival 2025 Thu, 25.09.2025, 19:00 Speakers: Federica Gregoratto, Dessy Gavrilova Series: Festivals In her talk at the Vienna Humanities Festival 2025, philosopher Federica Gregoratto explored how love has been conceptualized throughout Western philosophy—from Plato and Hegel to the Frankfurt School, Simone de Beauvoir, and Audre Lorde. Drawing on this tradition, she offered an original perspective on how eros shapes individual freedom and social transformation in the context of contemporary power struggles. Read more
	Der Bauernkrieg 1525	Wed, 24.09.2025, 18:30	Festivals	Misha GlennyLyndal Roper	Der Bauernkrieg 1525 Vienna Humanities Festival 2025 Wed, 24.09.2025, 18:30 Speakers: Misha GlennyLyndal Roper Series: Festivals Die erste Keynote Lecture im Rahmen des Vienna Humanities Festival 2025 hielt die Historikerin Lyndal Roper über das politische Erbe des Deutschen Bauernkriegs. Nach eingehender Recherche aller verfügbaren Archivquellen beleuchtete Roper die wirkliche Tragweite dieser dramatischen Ereignisse. Dem Vortrag folgte eine Diskussion mit IWM Rektor Misha Glenny. Read more
Der Bauernkrieg 1525 Vienna Humanities Festival 2025 Wed, 24.09.2025, 18:30 Speakers: Misha GlennyLyndal Roper Series: Festivals Die erste Keynote Lecture im Rahmen des Vienna Humanities Festival 2025 hielt die Historikerin Lyndal Roper über das politische Erbe des Deutschen Bauernkriegs. Nach eingehender Recherche aller verfügbaren Archivquellen beleuchtete Roper die wirkliche Tragweite dieser dramatischen Ereignisse. Dem Vortrag folgte eine Diskussion mit IWM Rektor Misha Glenny. Read more
	Streaming Illiberalism: Alternative Digital Ecosystems and Democratic Erosion in Central and Eastern Europe	Mon, 22.09.2025, 16:00	Seminars and Colloquia	Misha Glenny Václav Štětka	Streaming Illiberalism: Alternative Digital Ecosystems and Democratic Erosion in Central and Eastern Europe Fellows' Colloquium with Václav Štětka Mon, 22.09.2025, 16:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Václav Štětka Series: Seminars and Colloquia In this Fellow's Colloquium Václav Štětka addressed the growing prominence of right-wing media ecosystems built around online influencers and amplified by platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The presentation examined how this environment will affect democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on the Czech Republic ahead of the 2025 elections, and explored the disruptive role of global digital platforms through the lens of platform capitalism. Read more
Streaming Illiberalism: Alternative Digital Ecosystems and Democratic Erosion in Central and Eastern Europe Fellows' Colloquium with Václav Štětka Mon, 22.09.2025, 16:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Václav Štětka Series: Seminars and Colloquia In this Fellow's Colloquium Václav Štětka addressed the growing prominence of right-wing media ecosystems built around online influencers and amplified by platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The presentation examined how this environment will affect democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on the Czech Republic ahead of the 2025 elections, and explored the disruptive role of global digital platforms through the lens of platform capitalism. Read more
	Emancypantki: The Forgotten Herstory of Poland’s Suffragists	Mon, 15.09.2025, 17:00	Seminars and Colloquia	Ivan Krastev Katarzyna Wężyk	Emancypantki: The Forgotten Herstory of Poland’s Suffragists Fellows' Colloquium with Katarzyna Wężyk Mon, 15.09.2025, 17:00 Speakers: Ivan Krastev Katarzyna Wężyk Series: Seminars and Colloquia In this Fellow's Colloquium Katarzyna Wężyk examined the lives of women’s rights activists who fought for suffrage and broader emancipation in a nation that did not yet exist, navigating the archetype of the “Polish mother” rooted in patriotism and Catholicism. Many of these women defied gender norms through unorthodox lives and intellectual pursuits, moving from Romantic ideals to Positivist calls for independence and finally to suffrage demands. Read more
Emancypantki: The Forgotten Herstory of Poland’s Suffragists Fellows' Colloquium with Katarzyna Wężyk Mon, 15.09.2025, 17:00 Speakers: Ivan Krastev Katarzyna Wężyk Series: Seminars and Colloquia In this Fellow's Colloquium Katarzyna Wężyk examined the lives of women’s rights activists who fought for suffrage and broader emancipation in a nation that did not yet exist, navigating the archetype of the “Polish mother” rooted in patriotism and Catholicism. Many of these women defied gender norms through unorthodox lives and intellectual pursuits, moving from Romantic ideals to Positivist calls for independence and finally to suffrage demands. Read more
	Small and Middle Powers on the Geopolitical Stage	Tue, 09.09.2025, 13:30 - Tue, 09.09.2025, 18:30	Conferences and Workshops	Ivan Krastev James C. O'Brien	Small and Middle Powers on the Geopolitical Stage Geopolitical Workshop with James C. O’Brien Tue, 09.09.2025, 13:30 - Tue, 09.09.2025, 18:30 Speakers: Ivan Krastev James C. O'Brien Series: Conferences and Workshops James C. O’Brien moderated the Geopolitical Workshop on strategies for small and middle powers to gain geopolitical significance, focusing on their assets, weaknesses, and UN Security Council ambitions. The discussion stress-tested current approaches and explored opportunities, co-chaired by IWM Albert Hirschman Permanent Fellow Ivan Krastev. Read more
Small and Middle Powers on the Geopolitical Stage Geopolitical Workshop with James C. O’Brien Tue, 09.09.2025, 13:30 - Tue, 09.09.2025, 18:30 Speakers: Ivan Krastev James C. O'Brien Series: Conferences and Workshops James C. O’Brien moderated the Geopolitical Workshop on strategies for small and middle powers to gain geopolitical significance, focusing on their assets, weaknesses, and UN Security Council ambitions. The discussion stress-tested current approaches and explored opportunities, co-chaired by IWM Albert Hirschman Permanent Fellow Ivan Krastev. Read more
	Beyond Hype and Fear	Mon, 08.09.2025, 18:00	Lecture	Virginia Dignum	Beyond Hype and Fear Responsible AI for Societal Transformation Mon, 08.09.2025, 18:00 Speakers: Virginia Dignum Series: Lecture This talk argued that responsibility in AI is not a constraint but the foundation of meaningful innovation. While acknowledging trade-offs and context in decision-making, Virginia Dignum contended that responsible AI is not optional; it is the only viable path for artificial intelligence if it is to support human prosperity. Read more
Beyond Hype and Fear Responsible AI for Societal Transformation Mon, 08.09.2025, 18:00 Speakers: Virginia Dignum Series: Lecture This talk argued that responsibility in AI is not a constraint but the foundation of meaningful innovation. While acknowledging trade-offs and context in decision-making, Virginia Dignum contended that responsible AI is not optional; it is the only viable path for artificial intelligence if it is to support human prosperity. Read more
	Belarus: Revolution and Repression	Tue, 05.08.2025, 17:00	Panels and Discussions	Andrzej Gniazdowski Marci ShorePavel Barkouski, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, Ekaterina Tewes	Belarus: Revolution and Repression IWM Tischner Debates 2025 Tue, 05.08.2025, 17:00 Speakers: Andrzej Gniazdowski Marci ShorePavel Barkouski, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, Ekaterina Tewes Series: Panels and Discussions In 2020, Belarus was rocked by revolutionary upheaval. The world watched on, impressed by the mass protests by civil society in a country that rarely received any media attention. The regime’s answer was to launch a harsh crackdown that ultimately succeeded in breaking the spirit of democracy and freedom. Thousands of people were arrested, many of whom are now suffering from brutal violence and inhumane conditions as political prisoners. Many other protesters were forced to leave the country or fled in fear of arrest. Read more
Belarus: Revolution and Repression IWM Tischner Debates 2025 Tue, 05.08.2025, 17:00 Speakers: Andrzej Gniazdowski Marci ShorePavel Barkouski, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, Ekaterina Tewes Series: Panels and Discussions In 2020, Belarus was rocked by revolutionary upheaval. The world watched on, impressed by the mass protests by civil society in a country that rarely received any media attention. The regime’s answer was to launch a harsh crackdown that ultimately succeeded in breaking the spirit of democracy and freedom. Thousands of people were arrested, many of whom are now suffering from brutal violence and inhumane conditions as political prisoners. Many other protesters were forced to leave the country or fled in fear of arrest. Read more
	Ukrainian Historical Experiences Through Habsburg, European, and Global Lenses	Tue, 15.07.2025, 09:00 - Tue, 15.07.2025, 16:45	Conferences and Workshops	Katherine Younger Svitlana Potapenko Taras FedirkoTomasz Hen-Konarski, Patrice Dabrowski	Ukrainian Historical Experiences Through Habsburg, European, and Global Lenses Tue, 15.07.2025, 09:00 - Tue, 15.07.2025, 16:45 Speakers: Katherine Younger Svitlana Potapenko Taras FedirkoTomasz Hen-Konarski, Patrice Dabrowski Series: Conferences and Workshops This workshop brought together scholars examining Ukraine’s experiences under Habsburg rule from the 18th to 20th centuries. It aimed to provide feedback on Austria-related research in progress and foster discussion on integrating Habsburg history into global narratives of Ukraine’s past. Read more
Ukrainian Historical Experiences Through Habsburg, European, and Global Lenses Tue, 15.07.2025, 09:00 - Tue, 15.07.2025, 16:45 Speakers: Katherine Younger Svitlana Potapenko Taras FedirkoTomasz Hen-Konarski, Patrice Dabrowski Series: Conferences and Workshops This workshop brought together scholars examining Ukraine’s experiences under Habsburg rule from the 18th to 20th centuries. It aimed to provide feedback on Austria-related research in progress and foster discussion on integrating Habsburg history into global narratives of Ukraine’s past. Read more
	Un/Making Protection: The Proliferation of Temporary Protection Regimes Across Space and Time	Tue, 08.07.2025, 09:00 - Tue, 08.07.2025, 18:00	Conferences and Workshops	Diego Acosta Manuela Bojadžijev Ruslana Koziienko Ayşe ÇağlarVolha Biziukova, Irem Sengül, Leila Hadj Abdou, Kayi Esra, Lucie Macková, Sarah Knoll	Un/Making Protection: The Proliferation of Temporary Protection Regimes Across Space and Time Tue, 08.07.2025, 09:00 - Tue, 08.07.2025, 18:00 Speakers: Diego Acosta Manuela Bojadžijev Ruslana Koziienko Ayşe ÇağlarVolha Biziukova, Irem Sengül, Leila Hadj Abdou, Kayi Esra, Lucie Macková, Sarah Knoll Series: Conferences and Workshops The workshop examined the proliferation of temporary protection (TP) regimes in response to mass displacement since the post-Cold War era, focusing on cases such as the former Yugoslavia, the Venezuelan exodus, Syrians in Turkey, and Ukrainians in the EU. It aimed to critically explore common patterns of temporariness and uncertainty across these regimes and situate them within broader legal, political, and institutional contexts. Read more
Un/Making Protection: The Proliferation of Temporary Protection Regimes Across Space and Time Tue, 08.07.2025, 09:00 - Tue, 08.07.2025, 18:00 Speakers: Diego Acosta Manuela Bojadžijev Ruslana Koziienko Ayşe ÇağlarVolha Biziukova, Irem Sengül, Leila Hadj Abdou, Kayi Esra, Lucie Macková, Sarah Knoll Series: Conferences and Workshops The workshop examined the proliferation of temporary protection (TP) regimes in response to mass displacement since the post-Cold War era, focusing on cases such as the former Yugoslavia, the Venezuelan exodus, Syrians in Turkey, and Ukrainians in the EU. It aimed to critically explore common patterns of temporariness and uncertainty across these regimes and situate them within broader legal, political, and institutional contexts. Read more
	The World That Drone Wars Made: War Economies and the Remaking of Political Order	Mon, 30.06.2025, 18:00	Lecture	Misha Glenny Taras Fedirko	The World That Drone Wars Made: War Economies and the Remaking of Political Order Mon, 30.06.2025, 18:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Taras Fedirko Series: Lecture Wars have made the world we live in—from nation-states and tax systems to international law and intergovernmental organisations—through war economies: the political, material, and moral arrangements for organising labour and resources for political violence, amid the resurgence of war and genocide. This talk explored the emerging global economies of drone warfare and how they rely on and transform local social orders. Drawing on ethnographic research during the Russo-Ukrainian War, Taras Fedirko examined how new war economies emerged, endured, and reshaped political and moral orders in their wake. Read more
The World That Drone Wars Made: War Economies and the Remaking of Political Order Mon, 30.06.2025, 18:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Taras Fedirko Series: Lecture Wars have made the world we live in—from nation-states and tax systems to international law and intergovernmental organisations—through war economies: the political, material, and moral arrangements for organising labour and resources for political violence, amid the resurgence of war and genocide. This talk explored the emerging global economies of drone warfare and how they rely on and transform local social orders. Drawing on ethnographic research during the Russo-Ukrainian War, Taras Fedirko examined how new war economies emerged, endured, and reshaped political and moral orders in their wake. Read more