LECTURE SERIES

WHERE IS EUROPE HEADED? AND WHO DECIDES?

WED 28 FEB and 6, 13, 20, 27 MARCH – 19:30 TO 21:30
Karl Dittrich Hall, Student Services Centre, Bonnefantenstraat 2

Koen van Zon, PhD
Postdoctoral researcher, Studio Europa Maastricht
Prof. Hein de Haas
Professor of sociology, director International Migration Institute, University of Amsterdam
Hannah Prins
Writer, climate activist and European Climate Pact Ambassador
Prof. Sophie Vanhoonacker
Professor Administrative Governance Department of Political Science, UM
Sander Tordoir
Senior economist, Centre for European Reform, Brussels
 

In June, Europeans will take to the polls to elect their representatives in the European Parliament. Nationalist sentiments may be rife, but the themes that are likely to feature in the upcoming European elections are more prescient than ever. What will be the future of the Green Deal, how should the EU operate in an increasingly insecure geopolitical environment and how should the arduous question of migration be dealt with?

 

The answers to these questions will determine the future of European member states, as well as that of Europe as a whole. However, the democratic structure of Europe is one of a kind. This means that at the European level, it is not always clear where the power is located. We should therefore ask ourselves: who decides on the future of Europe?

 

In this lecture series, we explore the most pressing issues faced by Europe today. We will examine the EU’s history, current affairs and possible futures. Each week, a renowned expert will shed light on the EU’s role in their field, and on how European elections are likely to shape its course in years to come.

 

The individual lectures
1. Introduction on the EU and its Institutions: How Democratic is the EU?  (Van Zon / 28 Feb)
2. Migration: Can the EU Manage its Migration Flows? (De Haas / 6 Mar)
3. Climate: Can the EU Lead the Fight Against Climate Change? (Prins / 13 Mar)

4. Geopolitical Europe (Vanhoonacker / 20 Mar)

5. The European Economy in a New Era of Superpower Rivalry (Tordoir / 27 Mar)

Cost of the whole series
UM students €10 / UM employees and students from other schools €25 / Others €50