Perhaps it is due to the tremendous political changes of our time that a majority of the essays in this edition address political issues. Several contributions focus on the current crisis of democracy. In the lead article, IWM Rector Glenny discusses the growing power of the tech industry in the US, which is attempting to consolidate its position through extraordinary access to classified information.
Özel offers a sober analysis of Trumpism in the USA, Khorsand addresses the response of judiciaries to efforts to restrict their independence, and Ypi, in her “Speech to Europe,” links the restrictive migration policies of Western states to the crisis their democracies are facing. Slačalek and Sharon focus on dimensions of the new nationalism that radically distinguish it from its earlier forms, while Antonova reflects on the increasing suspension of ethical references in political language. Finally, Korda discusses the relevance of Hegel's insights for contemporary international relations.
The image of Europe in the past and present is the subject of the essays by Kuchno and Merli. Three articles focus on Russia: Meister draws attention to Russia's weakness, Schlögel tackles the new Russian diaspora, and Mostovshikov addresses the propaganda function of Russian museums in times of war. Memory and museum policy in Poland is the subject of Kostro’s contribution.
Contemporary challenges are at the center of three essays. Klinger points to the considerable complexity of political struggles, which include subterranean and orbital dimensions. Akkermans and Bon call for democratic control of technology in view of the explosive development of AI, and Striano discusses the issue of digital violence.
While most contributions point to worrying developments, Georgiev draws attention to signs of an upturn and a reversal of population decline in Central and Eastern Europe.
Hagedorn, Contius, and Czyżewski pay tribute to the writer, memory worker, democracy advocate, and friend of the IWM, Martin Pollack, who passed away in January. Finally, Nellen, co-founder and former permanent fellow of the IWM, introduces the IWM archives.
I hope you enjoy the read!
Evangelos Karagiannis
Download the IWMpost 135 as a PDF
Contents
CRISIS OF DEMOCRACY
Tech Bros and Total Information Awareness / by Misha Glenny
A New Republic / by Soli Özel
Widerstand der Korinthenkacker und Paragraphenreiterinnen / von Solmaz Khorsand
NATIONALISM
The New Nationalism's Utopia of Industrial Society / by Ondřej Slačálek
Civil War Nationalism / by Assaf Sharon
RELIGION AND POLITICS
On the Suspension of the Ethical in Political Language / by Clemena Antonova
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Hegel on International Relations: Is the West Doomed to Walk Alone? / by Tomáš Korda
EUROPE
Problematizing Europe: The Illusion of a Core Identity and the Intercultural Challange / by Sophia Elena Merli
Poland-Lithuania and the Idea of Europe in Early Modern Italy / by Klaudia Kuchno
RUSSIA
Russlands Schwäche / von Stefan Meister
Die neue russische Diaspora / von Karl Schlögel
RUSSIA / MUSEUM AND POLITICS
Curating Propaganda: How Russia Weaponizes Museums in Wartime / by Yegor Mostovshikov
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE / MUSEUM AND POLITICS
Poland’s New Museums, Memory, and Politics / by Robert Kostro
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
Making CEE a Place to Go To / by Ognyan Georgiev
NEW CHALLANGES
Political Struggle Is Subterranean and Orbital / by Julie Klinger
Digital Innovation: Myth, Magic Realities / by Hans Akkermans and Anna Bon
Digital Violence, Real Wounds / by Francesco Striano
IN MEMORIAM MARTIN POLLACK
Martin Pollack: Leidenschaft für die Wahrheit / von Ludger Hagedorn
Aussaat und Ernte in den Gärten Sarmatiens / von Antje Contius
At heart as straight as the flight of an arrow: Martin Pollack / by Krzysztof Czyżewski
IWM
Das Archiv des Instituts für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen / von Klaus Nellen
Migration und Demokratie / von Lea Ypi
