Eu Futures

In this episode, Dr. Kaija Schilde shares her understanding of the migration crisis in Europe as a result of political unresponsiveness. She explains the poor state of democracy in the EU and cites a need for an increased ability for citizens to demand transparency of politicians and institutions. Additionally, Dr. Schilde speaks about impact of Donald Trump's election on the populist movements in Europe, and the internal security crisis of the EU. [Date of interview: November 29, 2016]

In this episode, Nicholas Prevelakis, discusses the structural elements of the crises facing Europe - the lingering Eurozone crisis, the refugee crisis, and Brexit - and shares his thoughts on the prospects for democratic politics in the European Union, given the association of democracy with the nation state, in particular among older generations. He talks about the upcoming constitutional referendum in Italy and the presidential elections in France and the role of citizens in shaping the future of Europe, among several other topics. [Date of interview: November 21, 2016]

In this episode, Olya Yordanyan talks to Yascha Mounk about the emerging future in Europe and the deep crisis of liberal democracy playing out around the world from India to the United States. Mounk attributes the rise of populist forces to the erosion of the preconditions for liberal democracy. What we are seeing, as a result, are “illiberal democracies" on the one hand, and "undemocratic liberalism" on the other. The question Mounk raises is whether civil society is strong enough to resist or whether these pendulum swings are the new normal. He stresses the need to protect and further the rights of minorities without succumbing to the sort of "identity politics" that can alienate the majority. Yascha Mounk is a Lecturer on Political Theory at Harvard University's Government Department, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Transatlantic Academy of the German Marshall Fund, and a Nonresident Fellow at New America's Political Reform Program. [Date of interview: October 31, 2016]

In this episode, Sandra Porcar talks to Cristina Ares, Professor of Political Science at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Dr. Ares's research concerns the role of regions in the EU. She shares her understanding of the future as something that is always being created and in which citizens may participate. She expresses some worry about the current tensions between EU member states, and in particular, between national governments and the EU, and stresses the need for a renewed focus on solidarity and a renewed commitment to the European social model. [Date of interview: October 27, 2016]

In this episode, Sandra Porcar talks to Ermal Frasheri, Growth Lab Fellow at the Center for International Development at Harvard University. Ermal's current research focuses on socio-economic development and regional integration processes in the Balkans. Ermal describes what he believes are the two rifts defining present day Europe, namely, the Eurozone crisis and the emergence of gap between the richer north and poorer south and the migrant crisis which is forcing European nations to re-examine their core values. These rifts are exacerbated by tensions in the Balkans, Turkey and Ukraine. The rifts persist, Ermal suggests, because the problems facing Europe are transnational in nature, while remedies remain national, or reliant on national structures. [Date of interview: October 21, 2016]

Enjoy this short conversation with Austrian-Slovenian writer Maja Haderlap and our program assistant Toria Rainey. Maja describes the fluid nature of her relationship to Europe, her understanding of political Europe as a work on progress, and her hope for Europe to assume a more proactive role on the political stage. Translation assistance is provided by Tess Lewis. [Date of interview: October 13, 2016]

In this episode, Olya and Sandra talk to Marxist writer Richard Seymour. Seymour discuses the pathologies plaguing Europe owing to the crisis of capitalism and the ensuing sovereign debt crisis and the need to rethink the laws of social and economic life on which Europe is based. He talks about the importance of beginning, not with a blue-print, but in the anti-utopian style of Marx, building capacities for socialism in the present that can address some of capitalism's worst tendencies. The transition to a socialist Europe, he argues, will require the convergence of several types of power. He concludes by saying that "we need to talk about movement building, party building and how we can work with the state even when the state is working against us." [Date of interview: October 17, 2016]

In this episode, Olya and Toria talk to Ambassador Vesko Garcevic about the emerging future in Europe. Amb. Garcevic discusses what he sees as the four issues at the heart of this question, namely, the boundaries of the EU, the matter of Turkey, the EU's relationship with Russia, and lastly, the EU's relationship with the US. He talks about the need to be realistic, in particular during times of crisis, but also shares his dream of a united Europe. [Date of interview: October 14, 2016]

In this episode Italian philosopher Franco "Bifo" Berardi discusses the dangers facing Europe and the need to rethink democracy from scratch in a time of hypercomplexity and technolinguistic automatisms. (Date of Interview: September 26, 2016)

Toria Rainy talks with Dr. Gerry Alons, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Political Science Department of the Radboud University Nijmegen, about direct vs. representative democracy in the European Union and her changed expectations with regard to Europe's future. She stresses the need to ask realistic questions when considering where do we go from here and the need to put national differences aside in the search for common solutions. (Date of interview: September 23, 2016)

German journalist Wolfgang Bauer discusses his new book, Crossing the Sea: With Syrians on the Exodus to Europe and the emerging future in Europe with our outreach coordinator Olya Yordanyan. (Date of interview: September 22, 2016)

In this episode, Barbara Boschetti, Associate Professor of Administrative Law at the Catholic University of Milan (Italy), discusses the state of democracy in the EU, distinguishing procedural democracy from ballot box democracy. She shares her optimism regarding the future of the EU, even after Brexit, which she argues may in fact strengthen federalist processes. (Date of interview: September 8, 2016)

In this episode, Toria Rainy talks to Igor Lukes, Professor of International Relations and History at Boston University about the "civilizing role" of the European Union on the European continent, the politics of hate behind some critiques of the EU's so-called "democratic deficit," and the lingering threat to Europe's future posed by Russia. (Date of interview: April 22, 2016)

In this interview Toria Rainy talks to Joe Wippl, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Boston University's Pardee School of Global Studies about his long career with the CIA in Europe, challenges facing the EU, notably, uneven economic growth and uneven burden sharing during the current migration crisis, and the importance of transatlantic relationship to future peace and security efforts globally. (Date of interview: March 1, 2016)

This episode is a conversation with Vlad Perju, a Romanian Professor of Law at Boston College Law School, who identifies and addresses the two conflicting projects of European integration: one based upon fusion and unity, the other centered on cooperation and coordination of Member States. He talks about the challenge of European versus national law, and highlights some of the discontinuities in the goals of European integration, including the major issue of the continued existence of nation states without nationalism. Perju discusses how legal documents encapsulate the conflicting political project in the EU, and how the paradigm of the constitutionalization in Europe has two lenses (doctrinal and normative) which European lawyers must use in the reformation of European law in order to promote the active involvement of citizens in the European integration experiment. (Date of interview: May 25, 2016)

This episode is a conversation with Marija Bartl, a Dutch Lecturer in Law at the University of Amsterdam, about the polarization of Member States in regards to economic policy, and the urgent need for solidarity within the European Union in the restructuring and formation of institutions to address the monetary and social crises facing Europe today. She points out the lack of true democracy in Europe, and emphasizes the necessary establishment of a public sphere where citizens can Europeanize issues, coordinate appropriate responses, and reconsider commitments to each other to join in an open discourse about the Common Market. Bartl also discusses the mobilization of Europeans, across political and national boundaries, against the proposed TTIP, and how public demonstrations represent the power citizens have when committed to the principles of solidarity in actively influencing policy making decisions at the European level. (Date of interview: May 17, 2016)

This episode is a conversation with Sara Poli, an Italian Professor of European and International Law at the University of Pisa, about the uncertainty within the European Union today. She discusses the question of Member States retaining sovereign powers while simultaneously addressing the need for a common response to major security challenges caused by the migration crisis. Poli speaks on the volatility in the European periphery of the Middle East and Northern African, and the need for the EU to emphasize solidarity with one another and involve themselves in conflict resolution efforts in the Neighborhood. (Date of interview: May 17, 2016)

This episode is a conversation with Loukas Tsoukalis, Professor of European integration at the University of Athens, about the simultaneous challenges facing the EU, specifically discussing the problems caused by the fiscal crisis. He explains the dysfunctionality of the monetary union, emphasizing the impacts of its ineffectual and illegitimate practices on ordinary citizens and the political repercussions we can see today. Tsoukalis also discusses the question of Europe’s future given its tendency toward soft power underneath the protection of the United States ‘umbrella’ and the need to address the causes of growing populist movements across Europe. (Date of interview: May 3, 2016)

This episode is a conversation with Guila-Clara Kessous, a French artist and human rights activist, about the future of European identity. She talks about the need within the EU to promote a common European culture and deeper citizen participation in defining “Europeanness”. Kessous discusses the importance of fostering a feeling of belonging for Europeans, emphasizing how citizens need to feel proud of being a part of the emerging European identity in addition to their national historical roots. (Date of interview: April 28, 2016)

This episode is a conversation with Maria Cristina Nisco, a Research Fellow in English language and linguistics at the University of Naples L’Orientale, about the impacts of the current migration crisis. She discusses the geographical and political inequalities between EU Member States located at the periphery and emphasizes the clashes between national and European interests. Nisco speaks about the gap between European texts and European case law, commenting on the trend of Member States avoiding the burden of migrants rather than working to integrate and protect asylum seekers. (Date of interview: April 26, 2016)