Invitation to the online IPW Lecture Where does Europe end? On the return of the language of “Christian Europe”
Lecturer: Fabio Wolkenstein (IPW | University of Vienna)
Moderation: Oliver Marchart (IPW | University of Vienna)
When: Wednesday, 3 November 2021, 16:00
Where: online (link please see below)
Abstract:
One of the more interesting political developments in contemporary Europe is the migration of the language that has originally been used to describe what Europe is. This language has migrated from the vocabulary of centre-right politicians, who were committed to unifying Europe and creating a more humane political order on the continent, to the speeches and campaigns of nativists, nationalists and ultraconservatives. Chief amongst the ideas in question is the notion of a Christian Europe that is characterised by a shared moral outlook and way of life. The lecture traces the development of this idea from post-war Christian Democracy to contemporary ultraconservatism, and suggests that the question that the concept of Christian Europe was initially meant to answer – Where does Europe end? – remains highly relevant today, for both cultural and geopolitical reasons.
