Room for Discussion events in September
Dear Room for Discussion community,
With summer having come and gone we sincerely hope that you have gotten an opportunity to kick back, get time for all those little things you’ve foregone and recharge before it all starts up again. We certainly have, and we’re eager to get this next academic year off the ground.
Later this semester, in light of the freshly announced election on the 29th of October, we are hosting an election series with representatives from various political parties. All parties above the parliamentary limit have received invitations to participate. More info on this is to come, so stay tuned on our website and social media.
We are also happy to announce that this semester's round of applications to join the committee open on the 8th of September. If you yourself would like to sit on our couches, interview fascinating guests and be part of our lovely community, don’t hesitate to send in your CV and motivational letter. Applications close on the 5th of October at midnight. Use this page from the 8th of September.
For the time being though, in September we have interviews lined up with two academic heavyweights, in history and sociology respectively - Ian Morris and Gøsta Esping-Andersen.
Upcoming interviews - What Do we Have in Store for September?
Ian Morris, Historian, Archaeologist & Author
4th of September, 13:00-14:00, RfD Stage
Why did the centre of power shift across the world throughout human history, and why did it settle in the West after the 18th century? Did wars only serve to create winners and losers, or did they help spur the developments necessary for the safer, richer societies we enjoy today?
Historian Ian Morris, author of books such as ‘Why the West Rules - for Now’ and ‘War! What Is It Good For?’, argues that geography, not culture or genius, explains the shifting balance of power between East and West. In a provocative twist, he shows how violence has paradoxically built the large, stable states that made peace possible. In an era defined by change - both of the balance of power and of geopolitical realities - Morris’ extensive analysis of our past can help to guide our predictions of the future.
Join Room for Discussion for a conversation with Ian Morris on the big patterns that have shaped history — and where they might lead us next.
Gøsta Esping-Andersen - Welfare Sociologist & Author
26th of September, 13:00-14:00, RfD Stage
Join us as we bring one of the most prominent welfare scholars, sociology professor Gøsta Esping-Andersen, to the stage. An early author of numerous books and articles on the topic of welfare capitalism, he has helped found and shape the discipline as we know it today. Later in his career, in books such as ‘The Incomplete Revolution’ and ‘Families in the 21st Century’, he relates his welfare studies to issues regarding the role of women and family demographics.
In this interview we will gain insights from his long and impactful career in academia, touching on topics such as inequality, family demographics and the welfare state. On the 26th of September at 13:00 – 14:00 on the RfD stage, Esping-Andersen will help us understand dimensions of social inequality in the current political landscape.
We are excited about starting up again and are greatly looking forward to seeing you at our events this coming academic year. Until then, stay engaged and stay interested!
Sincerely,
The Room for Discussion Team
Creators of this month’s newsletter:
Einar Enerskog Ottosson - Writer
Ulia Loseva - Marketing Officer