New Ideas for a World in Change
We are delighted to announce that the Megaron Plus and the London School of Economics and Political Science in collaboration with the Hellenic Alumni Association of the London School of Economics and the Hellenic Observatory present for the second year running a series of public lectures on the theme of: ‘New Ideas for a World in Change’.
Entry is free and Open to All; Tickets will be available from 17.30 on the day of the lecture from the Megaron Mousikis Ticket Desk.
Venue: Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall (Αίθουσα Δημήτρης Μητρόπουλος), Megaron, Athens, Greece.
The lectures will be in English with simultaneous translation.
Lecture 1: Prime Ministers and the Paradox of Power in Greece
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Speakers:
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Kevin Featherstone, Eleftherios Venizelos Professor of Contemporary Greek Studies; Director, Hellenic Observatory, LSE
Dimitris Papadimitriou, Professor of Politics, University of Manchester
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Discussant:
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Alexis Papahelas, Editor of the Kathimerini newspaper
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Date:
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Thursday 15 October 2015
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Time:
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19:00
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This lecture focusses on the new book published by Prof Kevin Featherstone and Prof Dimitris Papadimitriou with Oxford University Press. It examines the leadership of five Greek prime ministers and it argues they have faced a ‘paradox of power’. Despite the powers accorded to them under the Constitution, they faced institutional weaknesses in controlling and coordinating the machinery of government. The costs of this paradox are a fragmented system of governance that provided the backdrop to Greece’s economic meltdown in 2010.
Lecture 2: The Rule of Law in Europe: Friend or Foe of Democracy?
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Speaker:
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Conor Gearty, Professor of Human Rights Law; Director, Institute of Public Affairs, LSE
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Chair:
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Kevin Featherstone, Eleftherios Venizelos Professor of Contemporary Greek Studies; Director, Hellenic Observatory, LSE
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Discussant:
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Nikos Alivizatos, Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Athens
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Date:
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Wednesday 2 December 2015
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Time:
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19:00
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With the events in Greece seeming to provide yet another demonstration that the European project has entered a post-democratic phase, Professor Gearty's lecture addressed the role of law in this fast-emerging new European order. Is it the handmaiden of austerity or a champion of old-style democracy? Whose side is law on? Does law matter?
Lecture 3: Why Thucydides is our Contemporary: What his History has to tell us about the Face of War today
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Speaker:
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Christopher Coker, Professor of International Relations, LSE
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Chair:
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Spyros Economides, Hellenic Observatory, LSE
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Discussant:
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Theodore Couloumbis, Professor of International Relations, University of Athens; Vice-President, ELIAMEP
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Date:
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Thursday 3 March 2016
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Time:
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19:00
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Thucydides was right: war is a human, all too human activity and we always have to revisit the classics to remind ourselves of the fact. The ancient Greeks were never more important for the U.S. Military than in the immediate aftermath of 9-11 - unfortunately they learned the wrong lessons, misreading the classics can be more dangerous than not reading them at all.
Unfortunately, we have to cancel the lecture scheduled for February 2nd by Professor Silvana Tenreyro due to unforseen circmustances. Please accept our apologies for any incovenience caused.