Annual Interdisciplinary Conference of the Institute for Global Reconstitution

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The world is living through an important moment where a multiple crisis – a "polycrisis" – is taking the form of plural and simultaneous global threats: the rise of aggressive militaristic states and right-wing populist parties, the catastrophic consequences of climate change, and an increasing vulnerability to fatal pandemics. This conference aims to examine the potential of new beginnings arising from the polycrisis. The discussion will take place at the intersection of political theory, the philosophy of nature, and policy analysis. It will focus on the concept of formative powers, particularly in two main areas: political constitutionalism and nature politics. 

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In the political constitutionalism theme, the conference will explore the topics of constituent power, the challenges to traditional approaches to constitutionalism and constitutions, and the visions for the constitution of democratic polities in new circumstances and beyond the stereotypical liberal-democratic models. These new visions will have to address the crisis in its global and domestic implications. In the nature politics theme, the conference will address the nexus between nature and technology, alternatives to extractivism, and environmental ontologies, while also reflecting on the perspectives of global climate governance in the current polycrisis. 

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The conference is organized in partnership with the Center for Comparative Research on Democracy (CCRD) at Humboldt University of Berlin and Bard College Berlin.

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Program

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October 10, Thursday

‍9:00 Welcome coffee

9:30 Opening Remarks. Constituent Nature, Constituent Masses, and the Reconstituent Intellectuals

Artemy Magun, Ilya Kalinin, Oxana Timofeeva, Angelina Davydova

10:00–11:20 Panel I. Philosophy of Constituent Power 

Moderator: Ilya Kalinin (IGRec)

Michael Marder (University of Basque Country) 

Being Neophyte

Artemy Magun (IGRec)

Dialectical Theory of Law 

11:20–11:40 Coffee break 

11:40–13:40 Panel II. Constituent Power: History and Contemporary Relevance 

Moderator: Artemy Magun (IGRec)

Andreas Kalyvas (New School of Social Research)

Constituent Power in Karl Marx: Revolution and Dictatorship‍

David Dyzenhaus (University of Toronto) 

Hobbes as a Theorist of Constituent Authority (not Power)

Roberto Nigro (Leuphana University Lüneburg) 

What is Constituent in the Constituent Power? Limits and Strength of a Concept

13:40–14:40 Lunch

14:40–16:00 Panel III. Finite Nature(s) 

Moderator: Angelina Davydova (IGRec) 

Oxana Timofeeva (IGRec) 

Psychopolitics of Nature

Ian James (Cambridge University) 

Sharing Finitude: On the Biosphere, the Semiosphere, and Bio-community‍

16:00–17:20 Panel IV. War and Peace

Moderator: Ertuğ Tombuş (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

Gregor Moder (University of Ljubljana) 

On Perpetual Peace and Occasional Wars: Kant, Hegel and World History  

Maria Kochkina (independent researcher) 

Military Animals: A Plea for International Non-Humanitarian Law 

17:20–17:40 Coffee break 

17:40–19:00 Panel V. Constituent Power beyond Nation-states

‍Moderator: Silvia von Steinsdorff (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

Peter Niesen (University of Hamburg)

Exile and Constituent Power

Robin Celikates (Freie Universität Berlin)

Migration and/as Constituent Power

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‍October 11, Friday

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9:00–9:30 Welcome coffee

9:30–11:30 Panel I. Politics of Environmental Transformation

Moderator: Oxana Timofeeva (IGRec) 

Angelina Davydova (IGRec) 

Where and Why Global Climate Governance Fails. What Can Be Done? Reflections before the COP29

Swaralipi Nandi (Loyola Academy) 

Strategic Technologism: De-rhetorising Solar Futures from Right-wing Populism in India

Felix Jaitner (independent researcher) 

A New Chapter of Extractivism? Environmental and Climate Governance in Russia in Times of Poly-crises

11:30–11:50 Coffee break

11:50–13:40 Panel II. Extractivist Culture(s) 

Moderator: Danila Raskov (IGRec)

Anna Vinkelman (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Don't Save the Planet: Romantic Perspective on the Ecological Crisis

Alexander Etkind (CEU) 

Ideology and Utopia of the Anthropocene

Ilya Kalinin (IGRec) 

Soviet Oil and Russian Cosmism: Techno-Conservative Formation

13:40-14:40 Lunch

14:40-16:00 Panel III. The Limits of Liberalism 

Moderator: Dmitrii Lebedev (IGRec)

Peter Safronov (University of Amsterdam) 

Another Law: On Non-Liberal Constitutionalism

Ewa Atanassow (Bard College Berlin) 

Liberal Constitutionalism on Trial

16:00–16:20 Coffee break

16:20–17:40 Panel IV. Constituent Power: History and Contemporary Relevance. Part 3

Moderator: Danila Raskov (IGRec)

Jan Smolenski (University of Warsaw) 

Beyond Ulysses: Revisiting the Idea of Self-Binding in Constitutional Theory

Olga Bashkina (KU Leuven) 

Against the Divide: Bridging Liberal, Democratic and Republican Constituent Power

17:40–19:30 Panel V. Democracy and Constitutional Processes in Eastern and Southern Europe

Moderator: Artemy Magun (IGRec)

Keti Chukhrov (Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design) 

Comparative Political Economy of Autocracy and Democracy in Post-Socialist Conditions 

Bara Kolenc (University of Ljubljana) 

Yugoslavia 1945–1991: A Social Experiment in Four Constitutions

Ertuğ Tombuş (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) 

From Autocrat to Lesser Evil: The Dilemma of Democratic Transition in Turkey

19:30–19:45 Closing remarks

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‍Practical Details

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Date: 10–11 October 2024

‍Language: English

‍Venue: Hörsaal 3075, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Hauptgebäude, 2.Obergeschoss

Unter den Linden 6, 10117 Berlin

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To attend the conference please register by filling the form below.

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