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Event Summary – The Anti-Europeans: A Conversation on the Future of Europe

The European Union is in a precarious state, with the European identity often being put in question. On October 19^th, The Graduate Center held an international lunch talk on “Anti-Europeans,” discussing what the future may look like for the EU. The speakers all presented their takes on the issue, and then broadened the discussion to include the audience.

Claus Leggewie, author of “The Anti-Europeans” and Director of the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities at the Justus Liebig University Giessen, outlined the points of his novel to lay the basis of discussion for the afternoon. He talked about the threats posed to the Union in the form of Euroskepticism, and the dangers of combined domestic and external enemies.

Christine Landfried, Professor Emerita of Political Science at the University of Hamburg, followed up with ideas on how to promote a stronger future for Europe. She emphasized the importance of solidarity and proposed a solution in the form of a new European Convention, requiring a double majority to pass motions.

John Torpey, Director of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies at The Graduate Center, offered a comparison of the European struggle to the current political climate in the United States, pointing out how similar the divisive forces at work are.

All three takes combined to offer a complete view on the current state of the European Union, the issues it faces as it moves forward, and the possibilities for its future.

This event was organized in collaboration by American Friends of Bucerius, Universitätsallianz Ruhr – UA Ruhr, European Union Studies Center, The Graduate Center, The Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, and NYU Deutsches Haus.