Past Events

	Title	Date	Type	Speakers
	Ketman: the Rise and Fall of an Idea	Mon, 02.03.2026, 16:00	Seminars and Colloquia	Jacob Mikanowski Taras Fedirko	Ketman: the Rise and Fall of an Idea Fellows' Colloquium with Jacob Mikanowski Mon, 02.03.2026, 16:00 Speakers: Jacob Mikanowski Taras Fedirko Series: Seminars and Colloquia When Czesław Miłosz published The Captive Mind in 1953, it caused an immediate firestorm. One concept in the book proved to be especially compelling for this first cohort of readers: the idea of ketman, or ideological disguise. In this talk, Jacob Mikanowski told the story of ketman’s rise and fall in order to identify an overlooked current in mid-century thought, and as a way to reflect on the current terms of our relationship to ideology and power. Read more
Ketman: the Rise and Fall of an Idea Fellows' Colloquium with Jacob Mikanowski Mon, 02.03.2026, 16:00 Speakers: Jacob Mikanowski Taras Fedirko Series: Seminars and Colloquia When Czesław Miłosz published The Captive Mind in 1953, it caused an immediate firestorm. One concept in the book proved to be especially compelling for this first cohort of readers: the idea of ketman, or ideological disguise. In this talk, Jacob Mikanowski told the story of ketman’s rise and fall in order to identify an overlooked current in mid-century thought, and as a way to reflect on the current terms of our relationship to ideology and power. Read more
	Unthinkable Europeans in Unequal Europes	Tue, 24.02.2026, 18:00	Lecture	Manuela Boatcă Ayşe Çağlar	Unthinkable Europeans in Unequal Europes Monthly Lecture with Manuela Boatcă Tue, 24.02.2026, 18:00 Speakers: Manuela Boatcă Ayşe Çağlar Series: Lecture In this Monthly Lecture, Manuela Boatcă took up the notion of "unthinkable history" proposed by the Haitian anthropologist Michel-Rolph Trouillot in the context of the Haitian Revolution, and discussed the theoretical and political implications of questions of Europeanness. She specifically asked: What is it that makes Romani Europeans unthinkable in a European project? Read more
Unthinkable Europeans in Unequal Europes Monthly Lecture with Manuela Boatcă Tue, 24.02.2026, 18:00 Speakers: Manuela Boatcă Ayşe Çağlar Series: Lecture In this Monthly Lecture, Manuela Boatcă took up the notion of "unthinkable history" proposed by the Haitian anthropologist Michel-Rolph Trouillot in the context of the Haitian Revolution, and discussed the theoretical and political implications of questions of Europeanness. She specifically asked: What is it that makes Romani Europeans unthinkable in a European project? Read more
	Democracies Under Stress: What to Do?	Thu, 19.02.2026, 18:30	Panels and Discussions	Misha Glenny Věra JourováAnna Durnová, Jiří Šitler	Democracies Under Stress: What to Do? Thu, 19.02.2026, 18:30 Speakers: Misha Glenny Věra JourováAnna Durnová, Jiří Šitler Series: Panels and Discussions Democracies worldwide are under stress: populist leaders are questioning and even denying the principles of the rule of law and shared governance; visions of equality are being silenced amid the fuss of cultural wars; and the search for evidence-based truth has been weakened. It is up to our societies to switch on their self-protective instincts and activate civic engagement. But who could be the main drivers of these changes, and what paths would they need to follow? Read more
Democracies Under Stress: What to Do? Thu, 19.02.2026, 18:30 Speakers: Misha Glenny Věra JourováAnna Durnová, Jiří Šitler Series: Panels and Discussions Democracies worldwide are under stress: populist leaders are questioning and even denying the principles of the rule of law and shared governance; visions of equality are being silenced amid the fuss of cultural wars; and the search for evidence-based truth has been weakened. It is up to our societies to switch on their self-protective instincts and activate civic engagement. But who could be the main drivers of these changes, and what paths would they need to follow? Read more
	Crashkurs in Molotowcocktails	Wed, 18.02.2026, 19:00	Panels and Discussions	Stefaniya PtashnykHalyna Kruk, Cornelius Hell	Crashkurs in Molotowcocktails Lesung und Gespräch mit Halyna Kruk Wed, 18.02.2026, 19:00 Speakers: Stefaniya PtashnykHalyna Kruk, Cornelius Hell Series: Panels and Discussions In ihren Gedichten widmet sich die vielfach ausgezeichnete Autorin Halyna Kruk der „wachsenden Bedrohung des Friedens“ und findet „eine lyrische Sprache für den Einbruch von Krieg und Gewalt in das Leben der Menschen“ (edition.foto.TAPETA). Ein Gespräch über das Buch und die Übersetzung mit der Autorin und ihrer Übersetzerin, Stefaniya Ptashnyk. Read more
Crashkurs in Molotowcocktails Lesung und Gespräch mit Halyna Kruk Wed, 18.02.2026, 19:00 Speakers: Stefaniya PtashnykHalyna Kruk, Cornelius Hell Series: Panels and Discussions In ihren Gedichten widmet sich die vielfach ausgezeichnete Autorin Halyna Kruk der „wachsenden Bedrohung des Friedens“ und findet „eine lyrische Sprache für den Einbruch von Krieg und Gewalt in das Leben der Menschen“ (edition.foto.TAPETA). Ein Gespräch über das Buch und die Übersetzung mit der Autorin und ihrer Übersetzerin, Stefaniya Ptashnyk. Read more
	The Impact of US–China Technology Competition on Concepts of Humanity	Mon, 16.02.2026, 16:00	Seminars and Colloquia	Misha Glenny Nigel Inkster	The Impact of US–China Technology Competition on Concepts of Humanity Fellows' Colloquium with Nigel Inkster Mon, 16.02.2026, 16:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Nigel Inkster Series: Seminars and Colloquia This talk explored how the US–China technological rivalry reflects deeper, competing visions of human nature embedded in emerging technologies. It examined the risk that these divergent models become globally normative through the export of technological systems and values. Read more
The Impact of US–China Technology Competition on Concepts of Humanity Fellows' Colloquium with Nigel Inkster Mon, 16.02.2026, 16:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Nigel Inkster Series: Seminars and Colloquia This talk explored how the US–China technological rivalry reflects deeper, competing visions of human nature embedded in emerging technologies. It examined the risk that these divergent models become globally normative through the export of technological systems and values. Read more
	Ukrainian Revolutions in the Long 20th Century	Thu, 12.02.2026, 18:00	Panels and Discussions	Taras Fedirko Yaroslav HrytsakNataliya Kibita	Ukrainian Revolutions in the Long 20th Century Thu, 12.02.2026, 18:00 Speakers: Taras Fedirko Yaroslav HrytsakNataliya Kibita Series: Panels and Discussions The speakers explored how revolutions endure institutionally and culturally, shaping political thought, state structures, literature, and popular culture. The discussion examined Ukraine’s revolutionary legacies within broader debates on modernity, violence, and social transformation, and reflected on their renewed relevance amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Read more
Ukrainian Revolutions in the Long 20th Century Thu, 12.02.2026, 18:00 Speakers: Taras Fedirko Yaroslav HrytsakNataliya Kibita Series: Panels and Discussions The speakers explored how revolutions endure institutionally and culturally, shaping political thought, state structures, literature, and popular culture. The discussion examined Ukraine’s revolutionary legacies within broader debates on modernity, violence, and social transformation, and reflected on their renewed relevance amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Read more
	How Can Democracy (As We Know It) Survive Digital Platforms and AI?	Thu, 12.02.2026, 09:30 - Thu, 12.02.2026, 12:00	Lecture	Ludger Hagedorn Věra JourováMichael Wiesmüller	How Can Democracy (As We Know It) Survive Digital Platforms and AI? Thu, 12.02.2026, 09:30 - Thu, 12.02.2026, 12:00 Speakers: Ludger Hagedorn Věra JourováMichael Wiesmüller Series: Lecture This talk by former EU Commissioner Věra Jourová explored how technological platforms, algorithms, and artificial intelligence shape individuals, society, public discourse, and democratic processes. She also addressed how civic engagement can contribute to upholding democratic principles. Read more
How Can Democracy (As We Know It) Survive Digital Platforms and AI? Thu, 12.02.2026, 09:30 - Thu, 12.02.2026, 12:00 Speakers: Ludger Hagedorn Věra JourováMichael Wiesmüller Series: Lecture This talk by former EU Commissioner Věra Jourová explored how technological platforms, algorithms, and artificial intelligence shape individuals, society, public discourse, and democratic processes. She also addressed how civic engagement can contribute to upholding democratic principles. Read more
	IWM–Ukrainian History Global Initiative Workshop	Thu, 12.02.2026, 09:00 - Fri, 13.02.2026, 17:00	Conferences and Workshops	Sara Silverstein Timothy Snyder Volodymyr Kulyk Yaroslav Hrytsak Yuliya YurchenkoTomasz Kamusella, Nataliya Kibita, Olena Betlii, Dieter Pohl, Olga Gnydiuk	IWM–Ukrainian History Global Initiative Workshop Thu, 12.02.2026, 09:00 - Fri, 13.02.2026, 17:00 Speakers: Sara Silverstein Timothy Snyder Volodymyr Kulyk Yaroslav Hrytsak Yuliya YurchenkoTomasz Kamusella, Nataliya Kibita, Olena Betlii, Dieter Pohl, Olga Gnydiuk Series: Conferences and Workshops The second workshop in a multi-year collaboration between the IWM and UHGI brings together leading historians and literary scholars to examine the political, economic, and cultural transformations that reshaped Ukraine in the 19th and 20th centuries. Read more
IWM–Ukrainian History Global Initiative Workshop Thu, 12.02.2026, 09:00 - Fri, 13.02.2026, 17:00 Speakers: Sara Silverstein Timothy Snyder Volodymyr Kulyk Yaroslav Hrytsak Yuliya YurchenkoTomasz Kamusella, Nataliya Kibita, Olena Betlii, Dieter Pohl, Olga Gnydiuk Series: Conferences and Workshops The second workshop in a multi-year collaboration between the IWM and UHGI brings together leading historians and literary scholars to examine the political, economic, and cultural transformations that reshaped Ukraine in the 19th and 20th centuries. Read more
	China oder USA: Wer hat die technologische Vorherrschaft?	Wed, 11.02.2026, 19:00	Lecture	Helga Nowotny Misha GlennyVeronica Kaup-Hasler, Anita Eichinger	China oder USA: Wer hat die technologische Vorherrschaft? Wiener Vorlesung Wed, 11.02.2026, 19:00 Speakers: Helga Nowotny Misha GlennyVeronica Kaup-Hasler, Anita Eichinger Series: Lecture Die USA und China befinden sich in einem intensiven Wettbewerb um die Vorherrschaft in allen Hightech-Branchen. Misha Glenny und Helga Nowotny diskutierten darüber, wer das Rennen gewinnen wird und was das für Europa bedeutet. Read more
China oder USA: Wer hat die technologische Vorherrschaft? Wiener Vorlesung Wed, 11.02.2026, 19:00 Speakers: Helga Nowotny Misha GlennyVeronica Kaup-Hasler, Anita Eichinger Series: Lecture Die USA und China befinden sich in einem intensiven Wettbewerb um die Vorherrschaft in allen Hightech-Branchen. Misha Glenny und Helga Nowotny diskutierten darüber, wer das Rennen gewinnen wird und was das für Europa bedeutet. Read more
	What Is a ‘World Order’? (And What Would a Planetary One Look Like?)	Tue, 10.02.2026, 18:00	Lecture	Misha Glenny Nils Gilman	What Is a ‘World Order’? (And What Would a Planetary One Look Like?) Monthly Lecture with Nils Gilman Tue, 10.02.2026, 18:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Nils Gilman Series: Lecture Drawing on his work, Nils Gilman argued in this Monthly Lecture that the liberal international order is dead, and that any viable successor must be a planetary order centered on ecological survival, planetary habitability, and multiscalar governance. He outlined the material foundations of such an order, from a global technosphere to enforced transparency, treating planetary stability as a non-negotiable security requirement. Read more
What Is a ‘World Order’? (And What Would a Planetary One Look Like?) Monthly Lecture with Nils Gilman Tue, 10.02.2026, 18:00 Speakers: Misha Glenny Nils Gilman Series: Lecture Drawing on his work, Nils Gilman argued in this Monthly Lecture that the liberal international order is dead, and that any viable successor must be a planetary order centered on ecological survival, planetary habitability, and multiscalar governance. He outlined the material foundations of such an order, from a global technosphere to enforced transparency, treating planetary stability as a non-negotiable security requirement. Read more