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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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

22 11 24

Out of the Darkness: The Germans 1942-2022

In his new book Uit de schaduw (Out of the Darkness), historian Frank Trentmann tells the dramatic story of the German people from World War II until the fall of the Berlin Wall and the struggle to find a place in the world today. It is a story of ‘moral renewal’ towards a democratic society and a groundbreaking new view on modern Germany. This afternoon, we will discuss the book with the author.

18 11 24

The Role of International Law in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Israel before The Hague Courts

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful. South Africa has also brought a significant case before the ICJ concerning the prevention of genocide in Gaza, which is still pending. What are the implications of these legal cases for Israel and the international community? What responsibilities do the Netherlands and other EU states have in light of these developments?

18 11 24

Jaarlijkse Jacob Israël de Haan lezing

Jacob Israël de Haan: mimicry en eigenzinnigheid

Past de dichter Jacob Israël de Haan in het verhaal van het ontstaan van de moderne poëzie in de eerste decennia van de twintigste eeuw, of was hij een buitenbeentje dat uit de pas liep met andere nieuwe dichters? Welke rol speelde zijn homoseksualiteit in dit verband en hoe kreeg dat thema een plaats in zijn werk? Sloot hij aan bij andere homoseksuele Nederlandse (en buitenlandse) auteurs of was hij werkelijk uitzonderlijk?

15 11 24

Artificial Elections? The Role of AI in the 2024 Election Year

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed the political landscape. Many have feared that AI threatens democracy itself. In this event we want to look back at elections of this year: has AI really been the destructive force that so many feared it to be? And what about the future?

**Due to technical issues there won’t be a livestream/recording available**

14 11 24

Over zijn nieuwe roman 'Vrij spel'

Een avond met Richard Powers 

Deze avond gaat Richard Powers in gesprek over zijn roman, en over het krachtenspel tussen natuur en mens, klimaat en kapitaal, en de concrete en virtuele werkelijkheid.

14 11 24

Religious Radicalisations and a Crisis of Culture

In conversation with Olivier Roy, we discuss the tension and connection between the crisis of culture and religious radicalisations in both Islam and Western societies. How should we understand the call for Jihad? And what does ‘European culture’ mean today?

This program is fully booked.

07 11 24

Air and Love: A Story of Food, Family and Belonging

**Due to technical issues there won’t be a livestream available**

In her new book, Air and Love: A Story of Food, Family and Belonging, Or Rosenboim explores the history of modern displacement by retracing micro-histories of family migrations from Samarkand and Riga to the Middle East in 1860-1960. She reconstructs long-lost migration routes and retraces the food that migrants cooked on the road, to explore questions of identity and belonging, that have shaped not only individual lives but also global order. By weaving these stories into the larger narratives of contemporary history, Rosenboim offers a new perspective on the history of the modern world.

07 11 24

Between Hope and Hype: What’s the (Real) Business Case for AI?

**Due to technical issues there won’t be a livestream available**

Artificial intelligence has been hailed as a productivity booster that can turbocharge firms’ and countries’ growth. More recently, the mood has sobered. Even as companies pledged to go ‘all in’ on AI, many have struggled to make money with it. So have AI hopes been exposed as all hype? And what is the (real) business case for AI?

04 11 24

A Conversation with UvA’s Americanists

Emotion Commotion on Election Eve

US elections are occasions for a range of emotions, including anger, melancholy, and relief. On November 4, Americanists from the University of Amsterdam will inspect the election on its eve.

***Fully Booked***

01 11 24

The European Literature Prize of Literature 2024 & The State of European Literature

An Evening with Olga Tokarczuk

This evening, none other than Olga Tokarczuk will be at the Aula of the Lutheran Church. She will engage in a conversation about the state of European literature, the importance of translation and her oeuvre.
**This program is fully booked**

28 10 24

The Architects of Dignity

Vietnamese Visions of Decolonization

In his new book, The Architects of Dignity: Vietnamese Visions of Decolonization, Kevin Pham introduces Vietnamese political thought to debates in political theory, showing how Vietnamese thinkers challenge Western conventional wisdom. These thinkers’ arguments are worthwhile for anyone concerned with freedom, democracy, and cross-cultural thinking. Tonight, Pham will discuss his book with scholar Yen Vu.

25 10 24

New Directions in Sonic History

What Are Sound Studies?

Professor Holger Schulze will give us a Brief Introduction to a Very Young and Very Old Field of Research: Sound Studies. He will shed light on the more recent history of Sound Studies and the current developments in the 2020s to decolonize sound studies and investigate aural diversity.

24 10 24

A Conversation with Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí

Disrupting Colonial Practices of Gender

Professor Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí offers a transformative perspective on gender, challenging Western ideas and its global application. The pioneering sociologist will dive into her most influential research, discussing how African perspectives can reshape our understanding of gender, women’s rights, and knowledge production.

**This program is fully booked, the livestream is available on this page**

22 10 24

SPUI25-lezing: Ghayath Almadhoun

Pandora’s Box: An autobiography of a Palestinian poet in exile

De veelgeprezen Syrisch-Palestijns-Zweedse dichter Ghayath Almadhoun reflecteert in deze jaarlijkse SPUI25-lezing op de rol van poëzie in tijden van oorlog. Hoe geef je woorden aan het diepste onrecht en leed? Hij wordt na zijn lezing, getiteld ‘Pandora’s Box: A brief autobiography of what it means to be a Palestinian poet in exile’, geïnterviewd door Maria Barnas.

19 10 24

Who’s Afraid of Gender? A Conversation with Judith Butler

What does ‘gender’ mean today? How can we understand the increasing attacks on what conservative-religious groups, trans-exclusionary radical feminists, emerging authoritarian regimes, and fascists governments call ‘gender ideology’? How did we get here, and how do we move from fear to freedom?

**THIS PROGRAM IS FULLY BOOKED**

18 10 24

Panel International Consortium of Critical Theory Programs

Emergencies of Authoritarianism: Global Entanglements

A rich panel of internationally renowned scholars sheds light on the global entanglements of authoritarianism. Based on their specific local experiences and situated knowledge, they discuss some of the main characteristics of authoritarianism today. How are its different variations connected with each other? How are they dependent on other global developments?