Eric Kaufmann on “The Third Awokening”

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Feb 1, 2025

In this discussion, Eric Kaufmann, a Politics Professor at the University of Buckingham, dives into the crisis of liberalism and its drift from classical principles. He addresses the rise of identitarianism and the need for a non-zero-sum approach to interethnic relations. The conversation also explores asymmetrical multiculturalism, examining how majority and minority identities are treated in society. Kaufmann further touches on the pressing issue of the global fertility decline and its implications for future demographics.

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INSIGHT

Origins of Identitarian Ideology

Eric Kaufmann's book, "The Third Awakening," analyzes the rise of identitarian ideology.
He believes an overly humanitarian liberalism combined with post-Marxist thought fuels it.

ANECDOTE

Early Cancel Culture

Daniel Patrick Moynihan's report on the Black family, which highlighted fatherlessness, was shelved in 1965.
This demonstrates an early instance of cancel culture for empirically grounded research.

INSIGHT

Liberalism's Complicity

Kaufmann argues that 20th-century left-liberalism's focus on equality and humanitarianism contributed to current identitarianism.
This combination, he believes, lacks sufficient guardrails, especially regarding culture.

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None

Heide Luthers

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