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Programma’s uit het verleden

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Alle locaties SPUI25 Online Rialto Posthoornkerk Paradiso Odeonzaal Amsterdamse Academische Club (AAC) Doelenzaal Nationale Opera & Ballet De Brug (Roeterseiland) De Duif De Brakke Grond Binnengasthuisstraat 9 Aula Roeterseiland Nationale Opera & Ballet, Odeonzaal Singelkerk OBA Theater Vondelkerk Agnietenkapel

23 05 25

Marginal and Emerging Voices

Remembering the Second Indochina War

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second Indochina War, popularly known as the Vietnam War. The war has left indelible impacts on the lives of many across the world, including those living in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the United States, and European countries. This event features a roundtable of scholars and practitioners reflecting on the diverse histories, lived experiences, and postwar national and international recovery efforts following the war.

21 05 25

De Staat van de Europese Literatuur 2025: Andrej Koerkov

Op 21 mei spreekt de Oekraïense schrijver Andrej Koerkov de zevende Staat van de Europese Literatuur uit, onder de titel ‘A Garden of Unwritten Books’. De lezing vindt plaats in de Aula van 20.15 tot 21.45 uur.

20 05 25

Democracy and AI

The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in democratic societies is an ongoing concern for many researchers, albeit for different reasons. During this event, we will explore the often illegitimate but not illegal applications of AI in democratic practices, focusing on the role of the news media, political decision-making, and policy.

16 05 25

Girl Online: Symposihmm #1

Girl Online is a full-day programme hosted by The Hmm, a platform for internet cultures, taking place across SPUI25 and University of Amsterdam locations on Friday 16 May. Expect talks, performances, workshops, and more. This first ever Symposihmm will dive into girl trends, self-infantilisation, girl as a strategy in digital spaces, and the future of girlhood. It is part of This is who you’re being mean to, The Hmm’s broader 2025 year theme, exploring gender expression online.

15 05 25

Can there be a planetary citizenship?

Citizenship: New Trajectories in Law

To what extent can progressive movements become planetary movements? In what ways can discourses of citizenship and rights help imagine transnational solidarities beyond national authorities?

14 05 25

The Center Cannot Hold: A Case for Left Populism?

It has become redundant to say that the Left is in crisis. The electoral decline of traditional left-wing parties across Western democracies, fueled by the defection of their historical voter base to the populist Right, paints a bleak picture for progressive politics. The old anchors are slipping, and the Left, long the bearer of emancipatory promises, finds itself disoriented. If the far Right thrives by mobilizing populist rhetoric, could a left variant offer a viable alternative? And if so, what are the costs?

12 05 25

Agents and Agency at the EU and Mexico-US Borders

Our news media offer daily accounts of migration crises in the Mediterranean and North America. Yet much of the reality of human agency, mobility, and power in border regions remains unseen and unknown. What are the historical roots of the brutal inequalities manifested at international borders? How do migrants and residents of border regions survive, subsist, and exist? And who benefits from migration crises, as well as the narratives that surround them?

09 05 25

How to reclaim a continent

Europe up for Grabs?

The 9th of May is Europe Day. What should we celebrate in these turbulent times? In a time of geopolitical tension, democratic backsliding, and cultural upheaval, why is it important to come together now, and what does European unity mean in practice?

09 05 25

A Conversation with Bado Ndoye

Thinking African Philosophy

How to conceive of the characteristics, possibilities, and boundaries of contemporary African philosophy? Senegalese philosopher Bado Ndoye engages with this question and reflects on the challenge of philosophizing from Africa while undertaking the urgent task of decolonizing Western philosophical legacies. Moderation: Jamila Mascat.

08 05 25

PEN Belarus’s fight for freedom of literary expression and human rights

Forbidden Voices

Under the present Lukashenko regime, freedom of literary expression in Belarus has ceased to exist. Writers are persecuted and locked away, some have fled. In exile, PEN Belarus continues to fight for Belarusian voices to be heard and read. Tonight, our panel will shed light on this ongoing struggle.

08 05 25

Big Tech & the State, Media, and Democracy

The Rising Power of Big Tech (rescheduled)

In a moment of rapid change for global politics, Big Tech platforms and their owners are shaping up to be international power brokers. Trump’s White house cozies up to Silicon Valley oligarchs as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, and clashes with the EU over its platform laws. How does the power of Big Tech affect our democracies, and can it be contained? In this panel discussion, researchers Theresa Josephine Seipp and Paddy Leerssen will discuss their latest research on platform power and regulation.

02 05 25

Sieg Maandag: Trauma and Art in the Aftermath of Bergen-Belsen

Sieg Maandag (1937-2013) was seven years old when he was photographed by George Rodger as he walked among the piles of bodies in the liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. His father was killed there, his mother survived camp Beendorf and was reunited with him six months after the war. Sieg’s family were diamond dealers. After the war he learned to work with diamonds, traveled the world, fell in love, sang at the Paradiso night club, and painted hundreds of paintings and ceramics. This presentation, on the 80th anniversary of the photo documenting his liberation, focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to his art as representation and transformation.

24 04 25

Een filosofie van nieuwe protestbewegingen

Revolutie voor het leven

‘We kunnen levens redden in plaats van vernietigen, arbeid regenereren in plaats van uitputten en eigendom verzorgen in plaats van beheersen.’ Aldus Eva von Redecker in haar nieuwe boek Revolutie voor het leven. Tijdens dit programma spreken we de Duitse filosoof over haar visie op een nieuwe manier van samenleven. Moderatie: Tivadar Vervoort.

23 04 25

Surviving an Intemperate Climate

Global warming is the existential threat facing our planet, but an increasingly challenging constitutional climate inflames it further. Drawing on her book Human Rights: The Case for the Defence (Penguin, 2024), Shami Chakrabarti will describe the challenges to human rights posed by the climate emergency alongside the ways in which these values may help us navigate our way to just transition.

04 04 25

The Social and Political Lives of Images

Seeing Matters

Ever wondered how images shape our reality? Join us in unraveling the transformative power of visuals – from protest imagery to social media memes – in mobilizing movements, influencing debates, and reshaping perceptions. Discover why, in our visual age, seeing truly matters.

03 04 25

From World War II to Sudan, South Sudan, and Gaza

Hunger as a Weapon of War and Genocide

80 years after the ‘Hunger Winter’ killed an estimated 20,000 people in the western part of the Netherlands, the use of starvation is rising as a tool of war and genocide in global conflicts. Today, around 223 million people living in conflict-affected areas face starvation with devastating long-term consequences. Hunger extends beyond physical sustenance, encompassing moral, emotional, sensorial, and political dimensions. Taking World War II, contemporary Gaza, Sudan, and South Sudan as examples, our expert panel will explore the weaponisation of hunger in its historical, social, economic and political contexts.

27 03 25

Over Mythos en Odyssee en meer

Een avond met Stephen Fry

*uitverkocht* Deze avond ontvangen wij schrijver, acteur en presentator Stephen Fry bij ons in de Aula van de Universiteit van Amsterdam. De veelgeprezen Brit – auteur van onder andere Mythos en Odyssee – wordt geïnterviewd door Jeroen Vullings. Oudheidkundige Jacqueline Klooster spreekt een laudatio uit. Een avond over Griekse mythen en de kunst van het (her)vertellen mét Britse humor.

25 03 25

Cybernetic Capitalism

Today’s form of capitalism is organized on principles of information and communication, the domain of what used to be called “cybernetics”. At work as well as in our free time, we merge with our computers, networks, and, increasingly, artificial intelligence. What does it mean to live under this regime of cybernetic capitalism?

25 03 25

Big Tech & the State, Media, and Democracy

POSTPONED: The Rising Power of Big Tech

Due to illness we have to cancel the event for March 25, 2025.

A new date will be announced asap.

24 03 25

Exploring current Challenges and Opportunities

Representation in Entertainment Media and Technology

This afternoon, we will delve into the complex challenges and promising opportunities surrounding representation in media technology. The event will focus on the progress made toward inclusivity and critically examine how current technological innovations interact with and impact the representation of marginalized social identities.

21 03 25

Opera Forward Festival

What Does National Identity Sound Like?

*Unfortunately we will not have a livestream for this program*

How can we comprehend the connection between politics and music? In what ways does ‘the canon’ shape national identity, and how do policies and grassroots movements influence this dynamic? By exploring the sounds of national identity, the Think Tank of the Opera Forward Festival 2025 presents its insights into the musical aspects of nationalism, focusing on the impact of canonization, politics, and identity.

20 03 25

Colonial Collections under Scrutiny: Researching the Origin of Objects

How can academics and museum professionals research the provenance of a colonial museum collection? And can we trace possible ‘involuntary loss of possession’ or looted objects? During the colonial era, a variety of objects were taken to the Netherlands, often against the will of their original owners. For some years now, these collections and the possible return of colonial objects have been under scrutiny.

18 03 25

(In)Visible Journalists. Confronting Epistemic Injustices in Conflict Reporting 

Traditional ‘neutral’ and ‘objective’ journalism has long been regarded as the gold standard of reliable reporting within conflict settings. But who gets to be perceived as neutral and objective? Who holds the power to tell the stories? And which stories get told? During this programme, SPUI25 in Spe explores the politics of journalistic visibility. Whose voices are centred, and whose are sidelined?  

07 03 25

The Effort to End Global Poverty: Then and Now

International development – the effort to reduce poverty and inequality around the world – employed millions, affected billions, and spent trillions. It held the hopes of the former colonies to create an economic independence to match their newfound political one – and the plans of wealthy countries to build an enduring economic order. Anticipating David Engerman’s new book, Apostles of Development, our panel discusses past and present development efforts.

05 03 25

SPUI25 in Spe x Queer Geschiedenis Maand

The Birth of the Gender Clinic: One Hundred Years of Gender-affirming Medicine

One hundred years ago, a peculiar institute opened its doors in Berlin; the “Institut für Sexualwissenschaft” (Institute for Sexual Science). First of its kind, this place sought to research and help a range of people who could be characterized as “gender outlaws”. These people, who using the language of today we would call gay, queer, intersex, or trans, found refuge, community, and access to healthcare. Surgical services were, for the first time, offered to people to affirm their gender identity.

03 03 25

CANCELLED: Empirical Ethics: On the Art of Paying Attention

What would an ethics of possibility look like? How can “paying attention” be understood ethically? In contrast with classical applied ethics, these types of empirical ethics seek to ground ethical reflection in the observation of concrete practices. Tonight, guest speakers will explore how to account for the messiness, ambiguities, and contradictions through which ethical life unfolds in the everyday experiences of real people.

*Due to illness this event has been cancelled*

27 02 25

The German Elections of 2025: Campaigns and Consequences

The German Federal Elections were held on Sunday, 23 February. Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and economic insecurities, citizens and leaders across Europe pay close attention to German domestic politics. Tonight, Gianna Eick, Theresa Kuhn, and Andreas Schuck will discuss the dynamics of campaigns and the political consequences of the elections in Germany and beyond. Moderation: Katjana Gattermann.

25 02 25

Universitas: Why Higher Education Must Be International

Is it true there are too many international students in the Netherlands? Should the internationalization of higher education be rolled back? Why, or why not? This afternoon, we will discuss this timely topic with experienced academics and relevant politicians.

14 02 25

POSTPONED: Surviving an Intemperate Climate

13 02 25

Nederland en daarbuiten

Reproductieve rechtvaardigheid

Reproductieve rechtvaardigheid is een Zwart feministische term die wereldwijd steeds meer aandacht krijgt binnen zowel activisme als onderzoek. In Nederland is de term nog relatief onbekend. Wereldwijd worden we op dit moment geconfronteerd met reproductief onrecht: met de criminalisering van abortus, hogere moeder- en kind sterftecijfers voor mensen van kleur, en toenemend bewijs voor de structurele aard van obstetrisch geweld en racisme. De investeringen die we doen in vruchtbaarheid en voortplanting zijn ongelijk, met name in (post)koloniale contexten. De term reproductieve rechtvaardigheid probeert al deze verschillende facetten van onrecht in relatie tot vruchtbaarheid samen te nemen. Tijdens deze avond zal een divers panel van academici en verloskundigen het concept van reproductieve rechtvaardigheid introduceren en bespreken, wat er op het spel staat en wat we hiervan kunnen leren.

Please note: this event is in Dutch

12 02 25

Hamas. Achtergronden en motieven

Tijdens dit programma gaat Joas Wagemakers in op de historische achtergronden van Hamas als Palestijnse en als islamistische organisatie en op de vraag waarom Hamas aanslagen pleegt tegen Israël, waaronder die van 7 oktober 2023.

06 02 25

Mapping the Erasure

Human geographer Hashem Abushama sheds his light on the significance of understanding the multiple Palestinian spatial realities that exist – taking al ‘Arub refugee camp in the West Bank as his starting point. What unfolds is a geography prone to rupture and transformation. Abushama will introduce the notion and practice of “countermaps” – a map creation process which challenges the maps produced by states. He explores the ways in which counter-mapping can bring into focus the contingent and differentiated nature of settler colonial dispossession and fragmentation, as well as the embodied, spatial practices and processes of Palestinian return and freedom.

04 02 25

Unlocking Green Deal Data

Harnessing the potential of data and new technologies has become fundamental in addressing the global environmental sustainability challenges societies face. In this context, the European Union has proposed an ambitious policy agenda emphasizing the establishment of common European data spaces, including a Green Deal Data Space. However, novel governance approaches are still needed to overcome the barriers that continue hindering this digital and green twin transition.

13 12 24

Defending and Rejecting Democratic Pluralism – The New American Conflict

Against the backdrop of the 2024 U.S. elections, political scientist Lilliana Mason guides us through the divide between American Democrats and Republicans on questions of social equality. She’ll dive into the GOP’s internal struggle between those resisting progress and those fighting for a pluralistic America, and its profound implications for the future of democratic life.

12 12 24

The Tech Coup

Over the past decades, under the cover of ‘innovation’, technology companies have successfully resisted regulation and have even begun to seize power from governments themselves. Facial recognition firms track citizens for police surveillance. Cryptocurrency has wiped out the personal savings of millions and threatens the stability of the global financial system. Spyware companies sell digital intelligence tools to anyone who can afford them. This new reality—where unregulated technology has become a forceful instrument for autocrats around the world—is terrible news for democracies and citizens.

10 12 24

The Politics of Pop: Tat Ming Pair

To celebrate the publication of the book It’s My Party: Tat Ming Pair and the Postcolonial Politics of Popular Music in Hong Kong, the authors Yiu Fai Chow, Jeroen de Kloet, and Leonie Schmidt, will be joined by media scholars Joke Hermes and Jaap Kooijman to discuss the Politics of Pop.

***Please note: there won’t be a livestream or recording of this event***

29 11 24

A Program by Spui25 in Spe

Expect These Symptoms: Delusional FemTech

Your menstruation app is telling you not to panic about being pregnant while your body is telling you otherwise. At the same time, your neighbour might be falsely worrying about a predictive algorithm telling them they have decreased rates of fertility. SPUI25 explores the state of FemTech software and asks whether we should be using these apps, or not.

28 11 24

War, Famine, and Paths to Peace

Spotlight on Sudan

Sudan is suffering the worst crisis of its turbulent history. With 13 million people displaced and much of the country facing famine, the toll on ordinary Sudanese is staggering. An expert panel unpacks the war’s background, the dynamics that fuel it, and discusses potential paths to peace.

27 11 24

CANCELLED: Metropolitan Nature. A Conversation with Emanuele Coccia

**This event has been cancelled due to the storm**

Eccentric philosopher and author Emanuele Coccia will share his thoughts on his latest project ‘Metropolitan Nature.’ As the recipient of the Mondrian Prize 2024, he currently resides in the former studio of Piet Mondrian in Laren. Lisa Doeland and Francesco Carrasso will join Coccia in the philosophical exploration of nature in the city, the relation between species, and the notion of home.

27 11 24

Critical Conversations

Indigenizing Philosophy through the Land

In Indigenous environmental thought, the land possesses anticolonial political power, serving as the cornerstone of Indigenous resistance to environmental destruction and cultural erasure. In conversation with Brian Burkhart, Carolina Sánchez-de Jaegher and Rolando Vázquez, we discuss Indigenous environmentalism as an anticolonial force, and the encounter between Indigenous knowledge systems and decolonial thought.