Events Events: Lecture “Is Sovereignty a Particle or a Wave? Reflections on Our Political Present” by Rui Tavares

UMass Dartmouth, Liberal Arts 397D, November 28, 2018, 5 pm

The Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture announces a lecture by Portuguese historian and politician Rui Tavares:

“Is Sovereignty a Particle or a Wave? Reflections on Our Political Present”

November 28, Liberal Arts 397D, 5 pm

Rui Tavares is a Portuguese historian and former Member of the European Parliament for the 2009-2014 mandate, where he was appointed rapporteur for the situation of fundamental rights, rule of law and democratic values in Hungary. The resulting “Tavares Report” was the first such parliamentary procedure dedicated to the infringement of the “Values of the Union” under articles 2 to 7 of the Treaty of the European Union as amended by the Lisbon Treaty and has provided a partial basis for the European Commission’s “Rule of Law Mechanism,” still under implementation.

Abstract: The opposition between localism and globalism, despite the headlines it has generated in recent times, is a misleading political distinction. The distinction between nationalism and cosmopolitanism, on the other hand, although it sometimes is presented as an equivalent form of the localist/globalist opposition, is both more accurate in describing the wide differences in political outlooks in modern societies and closer to the needs of preparing politics for contemporary problems like climate change, inequality at both the domestic and global scale, and the disruption of the international order. The central claim that lies behind those tasks is one about the nature of sovereignty. Although nationalists and cosmopolitans both talk a lot about sovereignty, it’s more than clear that they are not talking about the same thing, and identifying these essential differences will be crucial if we are to make sense of the road ahead for national and international politics at a time of global risks and challenges. What is hidden behind those gross approximations is something else: a deep divide in the understanding of sovereignty, citizenship and democracy, which will be summarized in this presentation.

All are welcome! Refreshments will be served.

Please use Parking Lot 1.