Montesquieu PrinsjesLecture

Theme

This year’s Montesquieu PrinsjesLecture focusses on the issue how diverse groups and parts of our population can be a part of the Netherlands society and identify themselves with the Netherlands and the EU. The lecture makes hereby a direct connection between the 345 theme. “Time to connect. Polarization and pacification 1917-2017”.

The slogan of the EU is “unified in diversity”, but not all Europeans experience the unified nature of the EU. The Brexit is a prime of example of the wish of the British electorate nit to be unified with Europe. Despite our high standard of living populist movements, extremists can attract a large electorate in Holland, Germany, France and other EU countries.

Can the EU member states bring their citizens together in a unified Europe? Is diversity strong enough to keep Europe together.

European integration has advanced far but what about a European identity. Is a European identity incompatible with a national identity? How can the member States maintain the Union despite differences between the member states?

The Montesquieu Prinsjeslecture is organized this year by the Montesquieu Instituut in cooperation with the Foundation of the European lecture (Stichting Europalezing).

Program

  • 13:00 Venue opens
  • 13:30 Lecture starts
  • 13:35 Paul Scheffer
  • 14:05 Caroline de Gruyter
  • 14:40 Q&A
  • 15:00 Closing and hospitality (borrel).

Speakers

Caroline de Gruyter
Caroline de Gruyter is a Europe expert, journalist with NRC and Professor in European Studies. She was awarded the Anne Vondeling award in 2013 in relation to her work about the EU. She has written several books on the European identity in relation to national identity.
Paul Scheffer
Paul Scheffer is profesor in European Studies in Tilburg. Prior to that he was visting professor on the Wibautleerstoel on “Big City”themes. He is well known as a writer such as the “Multicultural drama”. Mr. Scheffer started his career as journalist and  worked also at the scientific policy institute of the PvdA.

Registration

Register here for the Montesquieu PrinsjesLecture 2017.