Séminaires Printemps 2026
Les séminaires du printemps 2026 auront lieu du 9 mars au 3 mai 2026.
PHILOSOPHIE
- Imagining Ecological Civilization - Jaco KRUGER
The word “civilization” is highly charged. Like “freedom”, “democracy”, “dignity” and “nature” to name a few, “civilization” is a rhetorical word employed to sway the hearer in some desired direction. Like these other terms, “civilization” is also vague and ambiguous resulting in it having to be well defined at the outset if it is to do meaningful philosophical work. In its modern Western form, the word “civilization” first appeared in eighteenth century France when a significant part of its use was in the service of cultural chauvinism and to legitimise modern Western colonization in its various forms. Against this background some contemporary commentators have dismissed the use of the term “civilization” altogether. However, it appears that despite its possible negative historical connotations, the word civilization keeps on stirring the imagination. The steady stream of publications with civilization, or civilizations as theme attest to the enduring allure of the topic. Recently, a significant part of the discussion on civilization has shifted towards the theme of civilizational collapse – so called collapsology. This is in response to the various crises facing the contemporary world, not least of which is the climate crisis and the mass extinction event currently underway.
As a contribution to the discussion, this seminar investigates the notion of ecological civilization, first put forward in the twentieth century in the Soviet Union and China, but gaining increasing traction all over the world. In the West the notion of ecological civilization has been taken up notably by process thinkers building on the thought of Alfred North Whitehead. In this seminar we contribute to the discussion by considering possible philosophical foundations for the notion of ecological civilization as well as possible characteristics of ecological civilization.
- Democracy and its Discontents in the 21st Century - Isaac Mutelo
Abraham Lincoln famously defined democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Although democracy can be thought of as ‘power of the people,’ several challenges exist. The seminar addresses complex challenges that contemporary democracies face. Key issues to be explored include human rights abuses, rising inequality, authoritarianism, and the impact of disinformation on public trust and civic engagement.
Participants will analyze specific case studies from countries from Africa, Europe and the United States, highlighting how these issues manifest in different political contexts. The seminar will also encourage discussions on the implications of populism, the erosion of democratic norms, and the struggle for social justice. By examining these pressing concerns, the seminar aims to foster a deeper understanding of the threats to democracy and to explore collaborative strategies for promoting human rights, equality, and democratic resilience in the contemporary world.