Throughout Europe, social democratic and democratic socialist parties have suffered dramatic losses of voter support in recent years. At the same time, new political movements, often right-wing populist parties, have been able to win large numbers of votes in many countries. The historical, cultural, social and political causes for this development differ from country to country. Nevertheless, it also grows out of common or similar roots and overarching trends.

A series of lectures at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften will focus on the »Perspectives of Social Democracy in Europe«. The series will analyse and compare the causes that have led to the current situation of social democracy in different countries. It will also examine the question of whether transnational cooperation within the European Union in particular offers social democracy the opportunity to take on a new role and gain strength. Given the current challenges of parliamentary democracy, this question is also of great importance for the other democratic parties and movements in Europe.

Program (Wednesdays, 7 p.m., venue: Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften and/or online event)

All lectures are available on the youtube channel of the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften..

Academic Direction

Matthias Lutz-Bachmann, Director of the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften, professor of philosophy, Goethe University

Pierre Monnet, Director of the Institut Franco-Allemand de Sciences Historiques et Sociales (IFRA), Dean of Studies at the EHESS in Paris, professor of medieval history, Goethe University

Hans-Jürgen Puhle, Professor emer. of political science with a focus on the comparative analysis of liberal democratic systems and democratic theory, Goethe University