A new cooperation platform for civil society will launch its exploration phase on 1 March 2021. The “European Hub for Civic Engagement” will strengthen democracy in Europe by providing a digital infrastructure for activists and operatives of civil society organisations (CSOs). Since 2019, the “Hub” has been developed in an extensive consultation process involving hundreds of civil society actors from across Europe.
This Discussion Paper takes a closer look at the current challenges of the European foreign policy vis-à-vis Russia and sketches a vision for a new generation of Ostpolitik, aiming at organizing European unity as well as strengthening the EU’s strategic alliances in Eastern Europe and across the Atlantic.
A Nation Seeking Redemption The Biden administration must atone for the past four years by delivering tangible relief, recovery, and reform.
Joe Biden is the 46th President of the United States. From the minute he is sworn in, his administration will begin working on reversing many of his predecessor’s legacies on climate change, immigration, and domestic policy. Underlying these efforts will be the challenge of unifying a country in an era of rampant disinformation. To guide the country through this fact-rejecting fog and towards social and economic justice, the new administration must deliver visible relief and recovery.
The Politics of Tomorrow: Visionary and Effective As the year draws to a close, we ask what 2020 means for progressives and what 2021 will hold in store for us
Tomorrow’s policies must be both visionary and efficient to meet the challenges of the pandemic and its aftermath. Our board members Michael Miebach and Judith Siller and our executive director Dominic Schwickert explain why progressive ideas belong on the agenda right now and take an optimistic look at 2021.
Over 100 participants discussed and debated future visions for Europe during the Daring New Spaces Summit on the European public sphere on 10 December. In keynotes and debates, and listening to pitches and poetry, the participants envisioned what Europe and its public sphere could and should look like in 2025. The event culminated with two project fellows interviewing Minister of State for Europe, Michael Roth (DE) and Tiago Antunes (PT), Secretary of State Assistant to the Prime-Minister.
How can a value-based approach to technological change promote economic, social, and ecological progress? How can the public and the private sector harness new technologies to boost innovation and provide social benefits to society at large? At the #Tech4Society Policy Paper Launch on 16 December 2020, we discussed these and other questions with Julia Borggräfe, Joanna Bryson, Thomas Ramge and Rasmus Rothe.
2020 US Elections: Unpacking the Week Analysis and commentary on the 2020 US Election curated by our in-house Californian Diego Rivas.
November 3rd was a historic election day in the United States, which melted into a week of waiting and commentary. What political victories did the Democrats score and what is the future for them as a party? Diego Rivas unpacks the election week with a review of the stories that defined this historic vote.
Although the Democrats did win the presidency, the majority in the Senate will be determined only next January. At stake is the ability to pass laws and enact the political reform that Joe Biden campaigned on. Four perpetual political themes will determine if the Democrats are successful in January and beyond.
On November 3, both presidential as well as General Election took place in the United States. How can their outcomes affect the global role of cities? Join us for a conversation about a new era of multilateralism from the bottom-up with Almut Möller, State Secretary of Hamburg and Stephen K. Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, SC.
Joe Biden is now the President-elect. Although they won the Presidency and the House, the majority in the Senate will be decided by two run-offs in Georgia this upcoming January. Diego Rivas analyses the US Elections and opportunities for progressive change.
European Discourses and Narratives Second working group of our project Daring New Spaces
One of the main challenges in strengthening the European public sphere is the creation of a genuine European discourse community. National discourses have been following a slow trend of Europeanisation, but platforms, media, and spaces for genuine European discourse remain limited.
A Dash to the Finish Line in a Mad World: One Week before the US Election After experiencing an undesirable future, Democrats are determined to win and build back a future of their own
One week before the election in the United States, nothing is being taken for granted. A meaningful and enduring victory will require wins in the House and Senate. Only such a sweeping victory can provide the foundation to build back better. Underlying this endeavor is a festering debate on the vision of the country. Progressive visions for a post-crisis world must be bold and clear enough to act as a unifying force, once Trumpism is electorally defeated.
Innocracy aimed to bring the future back to the centre of political discourse. Speakers included Deborah Feldman, Amitav Ghosh and many more.
Practised European Values Third working group of our project Daring New Spaces
The fundamental values of the EU are defined in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union. However, recent years have shown an unsettling global trend of democratic backsliding and authoritarian tendencies. Shared values like the rule of law and respect for freedom, democracy, and equality have to be at the foundation of a strong European public sphere.
The last five years have seen many political systems succumb to far-right parties and tendencies. Aggravating this threat are the current public health and climate crises. Bold responses are urgently needed. But first progressives need to win at the ballot box in order to implement their visions. Larry Cohen and Bettina Martin discuss.
Das Progressive Zentrum is Growing Eight bright minds from research and practise will support the think tank
Clever minds, new input: We are happy to welcome four new Fellows, two Scientific Advisory Board Members and reinforcement to our office team. Among them are new faces and old acquaintances of our progressive network.
The focus of this working group will be the role of civil society, more specifically European civic cooperation in the European public sphere. Civil society actors can take the role of watchdog of European politics and push for the emergence of a European demos. By introducing a greater variety of actors, issues, and perspectives to the public discourse, civil society can make the European public sphere more diverse and lively. A strong European civil society facilitates communication between European politics and citizens.
In this workshop, we sought to explore ways of how new technologies can address some of the key societal challenges in health and the world of work and discussed with participants solutions for providing the political framework for scaling up technologies that work for the benefit of society.
With the blog-series “Corona & Society”, Das Progressive Zentrum joins the debate on what society and politics can learn from the crisis, both politically and conceptually.
The last five years have seen many political systems succumb to far-right parties and tendencies. Aggravating this threat are the current public health and climate crises. Progressive majorities are needed now, to remove the current authoritarians from power and to critically address systemic shortcomings. Join us to discuss how to win electoral majorities!
