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July 13 - Quo vadis USA? Democracy and Authoritarianism
Quo vadis USA? Democracy and Authoritarianism © Erich Auerbach Institute for Advanced Studies
Hosted by the Erich Auerbach Institute at the University of Cologne, this panel explores challenges to political and academic culture in the U.S. and Europe amid rising right-wing movements and erosion of the rule of law
250 years of Independence Day: Once a trailblazer for modern human rights, the legacy of the Declaration of Independence now comes at a time of major political upheaval that is shaking American democracy to its core.
To mark this occasion, the Erich Auerbach Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Cologne is organizing the panel discussion “Quo vadis USA? Democracy and Authoritarianism”. The Institute will host the highly acclaimed political scientists Steven Levitsky (Harvard) and Lucan Ahmad Way (Toronto) as Distinguished Fellows. Together with social philosopher Rahel Jaeggi (HU Berlin) and fascism researcher Sven Reichardt (University of Konstanz), they will analyse the MAGA movement, Trumpism, and the crisis of democracy.
The Erich Auerbach Institute for Advanced Studies is an interdisciplinary research centre that brings together members of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Cologne and international fellows to pursue collaborative research projects exploring the intersections of social realities, the humanities, and cultural studies.
Date and Time: Monday, July 13, 2026, 12:00 pm (EDT) / 6:00 pm (CEST)
Location: Livestream on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/cfMWylGC1ME
In-person in Germany: Lecture Hall 1, WiSo Building, Universitätsstraße 24, 50931 Cologne
More Information: https://auerbach-institut.phil-fak.uni-koeln.de/