We would like to cordially invite you to a two-day online conference from Monday, 29 November to Tuesday, 30 November 2021 on the topic: “Foreign Perspectives on European Identity“.

You can register for the event via Zoom here.

Internal disputes over the adherence to common values and global challenges demanding unified EU positions, have re-ignited debates over questions of shared identity and the EU’s evolving capacity to act on the global stage, credibly, and in unison.

Moving beyond the traditional scope of a mostly intra-European discourse, this format seeks to integrate foreign perspectives from around the world, to approach answers to the fundamental question of what unites – rather than divides – Europeans, the EU and its member states.

To what extent can the European Union be considered a state-like actor? How do perceptions of the EU’s cultural, political, and legal identity influence its legitimacy and room for maneuver? And has the EU recently lost credibility as a global standard-bearer for value-based policy in the world?

The conference brings together distinguished international experts from different academic backgrounds. It is part of a series of European conferences – the Hamburg-Vigoni Forum – launched by the University of Hamburg in cooperation with Europa-Kolleg Hamburg, the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at University of Hamburg and Villa Vigoni, the German-Italian Centre for European Dialogue.

PROGRAMME

For a detailed programme, please click here.

Monday, 29 November 2021

13:30 CETWelcome address by Prof.  Markus Kotzur and Eva Leptien, University of Hamburg
13:45-15:30 CETThe EU as an international actor: Classifying statehood and justifying state behavior

Keynotes by Prof. Henk Botha, Stellenbosch University, Prof. Liu Lirong, Fudan University, and Prof. Chin-peng Chu, National Dong Hwa University

Moderator: Eva Leptien, University of Hamburg
16:00-17:30 CETPerspectives on cultural, political and legal identity. One Europe and many Europeans?

Keynotes by Prof. J.H.H. Weiler, New York University, and Prof. Eli Salzberger, University of Haifa

Moderator: Prof. Markus Kotzur, University of Hamburg

To round off the conference day and to enable further exchange on the content discussed, participants and speakers are afterwards invited to a virtual networking session via the digital platform WonderMe. Access data will be provided during the conference.

Tuesday, 30 November 2021

13:30-15:30 CETLosing leadership? Perceptions of the EU with regards to environmental/climate policy and the enforcement of human rights

Keynotes by Prof. Ingo Sarlet; Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, and Prof. R. Daniel Kelemen, Rutgers University

Moderation: Manuela Niehaus, University of Hamburg
16:00-17:45 CETLooking in, looking out and looking further

Keynotes by Prof. Alberto van Klaveren, Universidad de Chile, and Dr. Anne Dienelt, Research Fellow and Lecturer, University of Hamburg

Moderator: Dr. Holger Niemann, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg
17:45 CETClosing remarks, Prof. Markus Kotzur, University of Hamburg

Please register via this link. The conference language is English.

We look forward to lively discussions and your participation.