Annual Topic

Politics and religion share a long history and are in a relationship of tension and dependency. There has always been mutual influence. However, the relationship between politics and religion is not only observed empirically, but is also the subject of many theoretical considerations.

War and Climate is a new series of conversations that highlights the long-term environmental and climate consequences of armed conflict, based on current conflicts around the world. The wars in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Sudan, among others, have turned entire swaths of land, rivers and coastlines into toxic dumps where war debris mixes dangerously with toxic chemicals, oil spills and radioactive weapons material.

Solidarität war einmal ein starkes Wort. Heute ist die Gesellschaft tiefer denn je zwischen Arm und Reich gespalten. Natürlich gibt es ein Sozialsystem, das einen Ausgleich bewirkt. Dazu bräuchten wir aber ein neues Verständnis von Solidarität. Wir sollten uns nicht damit begnügen, materielle Not zu lindern, sondern im anderen uns selbst als Mensch wiedererkennen. Erst durch diese freie Entscheidung zur Mitmenschlichkeit findet eine Gesellschaft wieder zusammen.

There are more displaced people worldwide than ever before, and humanitarian crises often occur in unstable and inaccessible places. One group whose efforts are receiving recognition is diasporas. Diasporas are made up of former migrants and refugees who can play a role in supporting their country of origin through fundraising, development work, and in some cases political activity.

Was sich heute im Vergleich zum auslaufenden 20. Jahrhundert vielleicht am stärksten geändert hat, ist das „verlorene Wir“. Es gibt eine Krise des „Wir“. Theodor W. Adorno schrieb: „Bei vielen Menschen ist es bereits eine Unverschämtheit, wenn sie ‚ich‘ sagen.“ Das war durchaus abschätzig gemeint. Ein Begriff wie „Pack“, der interessanterweise in Deutschland wie in den USA (als „Deplorables“) Eingang in die politische Diskussion gefunden hat, ist ein fernes Echo dieser Abschätzigkeit.

Borders and cultural codes are matters of life and death, defining “identity” and “foreignness”, making the difference between belonging and being excluded. They determine whether people are entitled to move from one place to another or whether they have the right to stay anywhere at all.
The curator of this Lecture series is Hanno Loewy, Director of the Jewish Museum in Hohenems.

In 2018 we celebrated the centenary of the foundation of the Republic of Austria. But what does Austria actually mean?
In our new series “Es ist ein gutes Land. Republikanische Geschichtsstunde(n)” (It is a good country. Republican history lesson/s), Wolfgang Maderthaner and his discussion partners discuss the history and topical events of this region, which within changing borders and a wide range of attributed meanings has come to bear the name “Austria”.