Central European University 97d ago

In this lecture, Ivan Krastev explores the end of the long 20th century and what it means for today’s world. Moving beyond the optimism of 1989 and the so-called “end of history,” he argues that we are living through a second rupture—one marked by the crisis of the liberal international order, shifting political identities, and growing uncertainty about the future. The talk examines how the collapse of the Cold War system reshaped global politics, why the idea of the future has weakened in contemporary societies, and how nationalism, demographic anxiety, and technological change are redefining democracy and power. This lecture offers a timely framework for understanding the transformation of Europe, the United States, and the global order in the 21st century. — As part of CEU’s 35th anniversary, the Presidential Lecture Series brings leading thinkers to discuss today’s most pressing global challenges. See all anniversary events: https://events.ceu.edu/category/35-years — About CEU Central European University (CEU) is a research-focused university offering a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the heart of Europe. Our ever-growing international community of students, alumni, permanent and visiting faculty and program partners enables you to challenge conventional wisdom, explore diverse perspectives and critically examine the biggest challenges of the 21st century. More from CEU: Website: https://www.ceu.edu/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreCEU Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/weareceu.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareceu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/central-european-university Threads: https://www.threads.net/@weareceu Timestamps 00:12 – Opening remarks & welcome (CEU Presidential Lecture Series) 00:51 – CEU’s founding, mission, and values 01:24 – Global changes and challenges to democracy 02:09 – 35 years of CEU & reflections on institutional legacy 03:45 – CEU in Vienna & connection to the city 05:02 – Opening the university to the public & “feast of ideas” 05:55 – Introduction of Ivan Krastev 08:55 – Opening: “We are living in shaking times” 09:46 – Is the liberal international order over? 11:34 – The “end of the long 20th century” explained 13:20 – The disappearance of the future in politics 14:32 – Crisis of political identities (US, USSR, Germany, Israel) 16:43 – Collapse of the Soviet Union & global consequences 20:28 – Rethinking US power and global leadership 23:23 – Power vs values in today’s international order 23:40 – Germany’s identity crisis & Europe’s future 26:41 – A changing world: new political identities 27:45 – Fear of the future: climate, AI, extinction narratives 29:08 – A key idea: we must change the questions, not just answers 30:04 – Discussion begins: Soviet collapse & identity shifts 31:30 – Crisis of liberalism & neoliberalism debate 34:23 – Transition economies & post-Cold War uncertainties 39:19 – Weak state vs strong state debate 40:04 – Was 1989 a global turning point or Western illusion? 42:10 – “Multiple 1989s”: different global perspectives 44:19 – Democracy, demography & political anxiety 46:22 – Demographic decline & global implications 50:06 – Demographic imagination vs reality 56:08 – Speed, time, and political change today 01:01:06 – “No vision, only deadlines”: politics of urgency 01:02:10 – Why democracy depends on belief in the future 01:03:11 – Universities, democracy & CEU’s role 01:09:13 – Reinventing institutions in times of rupture 01:11:24 – Financialization & political consequences 01:14:48 – Gender, politics & generational shifts 01:20:28 – Power politics & global conflicts today 01:26:41 – Dialogue across ideological divides 01:32:23 – Closing remarks #ceu35 #weareceu #EndOfTheLong20thCentury #GlobalPolitics #IvanKrastev Subscribe for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/CentralEuropeanUniversityChannel