Sturm und Drang
DIA's New Thinkers Series

In this new series we bring together striking personalities and changemakers from Germany and the Netherlands. Sturm und Drang is a platform for new thinkers and pioneers from different disciplines who work on finding solutions for current and future challenges to our societies, like antidemocratic movements, climate change, or digitization. The talks are complemented by music, spoken word or interactive elements, introducing new, inspiring and thought-provoking ways of asking critical questions. There will also be a get-together for further exchange and networking.

Empower Democracy! How to Defend Our Institutions and Values Against the Rise of the Far Right?
Spui25 (Amsterdam), 4 October 2024

Slowly but surely, the far right is coming to power in many European countries. The Netherlands is no exception: as the big winner of the Tweede Kamer elections, the radical right-wing party PVV is part of the government now. Meanwhile in Germany, the partially extremist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is on the rise. This deeply worrisome trend challenges our liberal democracies. How can we push back the wave of right-wing extremism and defend democracy? On 4 October, we will be talking to political scientist Léonie de Jonge and blogger and activist Thomas Laschyk about the urgent and thorny questions of how to deal with the far right in the Netherlands and Germany. The Dutch-German band DeuBa will explore the topic with a special selection of German protest songs.

© Ylva Bintakies & KNAW

The Climate Crisis: How Can We Save Our Planet Now?
LUX (Nijmegen), 20 April 2023

What can and should we do to address the climate crisis? Why is the Fridays for Future-movement in Germany not only bigger but also more influential? What difference does it make that the greens are part of the government now? Can other democratic instruments, such as forming citizens' councils, help to create a concrete and broadly accepted climate policy? We discussed these questions with two activists from Germany and the Netherlands, Linda Kastrup (Fridays for Future Germany) and Benito Walker (Youth for Climate NL/Bureau Burgerberaad). We focused on different developments in both countries, as well as how we could work together and learn from each other. German singer-songwriter and "Artist for Future" Gisbert zu Knyphausen approached the topic with a special selection of his music. Moderation: Mario Daniels (DIA)

Rethinking democracy in times of crisis
Pakhuis de Zwijger (Amsterdam), 1 July 2022

It seems that Western democracies are in a permanent state of crisis. The Corona pandemic, climate change and the rise of authoritarianism deeply challenge democratic norms, concepts and institutions. Do we need to re-think how democracies are organized and how they function? Two eminent scholars who are among the leading thinkers of the history, sociology and philosophy of Western democracy discussed this question with us: the historian Hedwig Richter (München) and the sociologist Willem Schinkel (Rotterdam). Moderation: Mario Daniels (DIA)