At the 2024 Holberg Debate, Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Yanis Varoufakis and Konstantin Kisin will discuss whether or not the West is in decline.
This event is non-ticketed and open to the public (registration recommended). It will also be livestreamed via YouTube here.
Is the West in decline, and if so, what are the implications for the future of democracy and the global order? This is the central question for the 2024 Holberg Debate.
The backdrop of this year’s Holberg Debate includes a number of crises and problems that the West is facing, including: a dramatic presidential election in the US, Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, high cost of living in many Western countries, cultural conflicts, and political polarisation. Globally, the West is losing support, and the collaboration between Russia, China and the other BRICS countries has rendered Western influence increasingly precarious in a world that seems to be growing more multipolar. Also, there is a substantial fear that the liberal aspects of Western society may be in peril.
The discussion will centre on the following questions:
What are currently the greatest threats to democracy and stability in the West?
How serious are the problems relating to instability, discontent, extremism, populism, disinformation, racism, anti-feminism, and social fragmentation.
What are the implications of the cultural and ideological shifts within Western societies?
To what extent do autocracies work to undermine the democratic world, and by what means should they be opposed?
Are we seeing a decline of Western influence in global affairs, as the world becomes more multipolar, and if so: What are the implications for global stability and prosperity?