The Einstein Forum is a foundation of the German federal state of Brandenburg that serves the public as an open laboratory of the mind. Through a varied program of conferences, workshops, podium discussions, and lectures it brings together original thinkers from all over the world to test new ideas—and interrogate conventional ones—with a general audience. Topics span the arts and humanities, natural and social sciences, ethics and politics. Whatever the subject, speakers are urged to think outside traditional academic boundaries. Our multidisciplinary emphasis encourages dialogue not only among experts from different fields but also, and just as importantly, between specialists and the public at large.
I gave a keynote address at the Einstein Forum conference which had the theme “Zeitenwenden. Thinking in Upheaval” which ran from Jun 29 – Saturday, Jul 1, 2023. My address was entitled, “Despite, In spite of, Sometimes to Spite Our Governments: How The COVID-19 Pandemic Opened Artists to Solidarities and Collaborations.”
Also at this event were Aleida Assmann, Rokhaya Diallo, J. Henry Fair, Ali Fathollah-Nejad, Carey Harrison, Stephen Holmes, Eva Illouz, Ivan Krastev, Harsh Mander, Thomas Meaney, Eva Menasse, Fintan O’Toole, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Carl Tham, David van Reybrouck and, James Wood.
You can watch the forum in full here; my speech runs from 12:52 minutes,
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