Annual Interdisciplinary Conference of the Institute for Global Reconstitution
The world is living through an important moment where a multiple crisis – a "polycrisis" – is taking the form of plural and simultaneous global threats: the rise of aggressive militaristic states and right-wing populist parties, the catastrophic consequences of climate change, and an increasing vulnerability to fatal pandemics. This conference aims to examine the potential of new beginnings arising from the polycrisis. The discussion will take place at the intersection of political theory, the philosophy of nature, and policy analysis. It will focus on the concept of formative powers, particularly in two main areas: political constitutionalism and nature politics.
In the political constitutionalism theme, the conference will explore the topics of constituent power, the challenges to traditional approaches to constitutionalism and constitutions, and the visions for the constitution of democratic polities in new circumstances and beyond the stereotypical liberal-democratic models. These new visions will have to address the crisis in its global and domestic implications. In the nature politics theme, the conference will address the nexus between nature and technology, alternatives to extractivism, and environmental ontologies, while also reflecting on the perspectives of global climate governance in the current polycrisis.
The conference is organized in partnership with the Center for Comparative Research on Democracy (CCRD) at Humboldt University of Berlin and Bard College Berlin.
Program
October 10, Thursday
9:00 Welcome coffee
9:30 Opening Remarks. Constituent Nature, Constituent Masses, and the Reconstituent Intellectuals
Artemy Magun, Ilya Kalinin, Oxana Timofeeva, Angelina Davydova
10:00–11:20 Panel I. Philosophy of Constituent Power
Moderator: Ilya Kalinin (IGRec)
Michael Marder (University of Basque Country)
Being Neophyte
Artemy Magun (IGRec)
Dialectical Theory of Law
11:20–11:40 Coffee break
11:40–13:40 Panel II. Constituent Power: History and Contemporary Relevance
Moderator: Artemy Magun (IGRec)
Andreas Kalyvas (New School of Social Research)
Constituent Power in Karl Marx: Revolution and Dictatorship
David Dyzenhaus (University of Toronto)
Hobbes as a Theorist of Constituent Authority (not Power)
Roberto Nigro (Leuphana University Lüneburg)
What is Constituent in the Constituent Power? Limits and Strength of a Concept
13:40–14:40 Lunch
14:40–16:00 Panel III. Finite Nature(s)
Moderator: Angelina Davydova (IGRec)
Oxana Timofeeva (IGRec)
Psychopolitics of Nature
Ian James (Cambridge University)
Sharing Finitude: On the Biosphere, the Semiosphere, and Bio-community
16:00–17:20 Panel IV. War and Peace
Moderator: Ertuğ Tombuş (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
Gregor Moder (University of Ljubljana)
On Perpetual Peace and Occasional Wars: Kant, Hegel and World History
Maria Kochkina (independent researcher)
Military Animals: A Plea for International Non-Humanitarian Law
17:20–17:40 Coffee break
17:40–19:00 Panel V. Constituent Power beyond Nation-states
Moderator: Silvia von Steinsdorff (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
Peter Niesen (University of Hamburg)
Exile and Constituent Power
Robin Celikates (Freie Universität Berlin)
Migration and/as Constituent Power
October 11, Friday
9:00–9:30 Welcome coffee
9:30–11:30 Panel I. Politics of Environmental Transformation
Moderator: Oxana Timofeeva (IGRec)
Angelina Davydova (IGRec)
Where and Why Global Climate Governance Fails. What Can Be Done? Reflections Following the COP29
Swaralipi Nandi (Loyola Academy)
Strategic Technologism: De-rhetorising Solar Futures from Right-wing Populism in India
Felix Jaitner (independent researcher)
A New Chapter of Extractivism? Environmental and Climate Governance in Russia in Times of Poly-crises
11:30–11:50 Coffee break
11:50–13:40 Panel II. Extractivist Culture(s)
Moderator: Danila Raskov (IGRec)
Anna Vinkelman (Radboud University Nijmegen)
Don't Save the Planet: Romantic Perspective on the Ecological Crisis
Alexander Etkind (CEU)
Ideology and Utopia of the Anthropocene
Ilya Kalinin (IGRec)
Soviet Oil and Russian Cosmism: Techno-Conservative Formation
13:40-14:40 Lunch
14:40-16:00 Panel III. The Limits of Liberalism
Moderator: Dmitrii Lebedev (IGRec)
Peter Safronov (University of Amsterdam)
Another Law: On Non-Liberal Constitutionalism
Ewa Atanassow (Bard College Berlin)
Liberal Constitutionalism on Trial
16:00–16:20 Coffee break
16:20–17:40 Panel IV. Constituent Power: History and Contemporary Relevance. Part 3
Moderator: Danila Raskov (IGRec)
Jan Smolensky (University of Warsaw)
Beyond Ulysses: Revisiting the Idea of Self-Binding in Constitutional Theory
Olga Bashkina (KU Leuven)
Against the Divide: Bridging Liberal, Democratic and Republican Constituent Power
17:40–19:30 Panel V. Democracy and Constitutional Processes in Eastern and Southern Europe
Moderator: Artemy Magun (IGRec)
Keti Chukhrov (Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design)
Comparative Political Economy of Autocracy and Democracy in Post-Socialist Conditions
Bara Kolenc (University of Ljubljana)
Yugoslavia 1945–1991: A Social Experiment in Four Constitutions
Ertuğ Tombuş (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
From Autocrat to Lesser Evil: The Dilemma of Democratic Transition in Turkey
19:30–19:45 Closing remarks
Practical Details
Date: 10–11 October 2024
Language: English
Venue: Hörsaal 3075, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Hauptgebäude, 2.Obergeschoss
Unter den Linden 6, 10117 Berlin
To attend the conference please register by filling the form below.