We explore questions concerning events and developments which have been thought fundamental to the history of a distinctively "modern" European world - the decline of magic and religion and the rise of science and technology. Such events and developments are not only to be thought in relation to the opening-up and holding sway of that world but also in relation to its threatening crises and exhaustion.

In 1919, in the wake of the first world war of European origin, the French poet and essayist Paul Valery reflected on a European world which seemed alive suddenly to its own end: "We later civilizations we too now know that we are mortal". How should we understand the becoming-modern of the European world? And what, today, should we make of the events and developments which have given rise to a sense of its ending?

Simon Glendinning (@lonanglo) is Professor in European Philosophy in the European Institute at LSE.

Darian Meacham is Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the Department of Philosophy at Maastricht University.

Helen Parish (@HelenLParish) is Professor of Early Modern History in the Department of History at the University of Reading.

Dr Dina Gusejnova is Assistant Professor in International History at LSE.

Twitter hashtags for this event: #LSEFestival #ShapetheWorld

This event is part of the LSE Festival: Shape the World running from Monday 2 to Saturday 7 March 2020, with a series of events exploring how social science can make the world a better place.

Podcast

A podcast of this event is available to download from The Rise of Modern Europe.

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.