Kreisky Forum Talks

Eva Nowotny in conversation with Nina Vaskunlathi und Wolfgang Mühlberger EUROPEAN SECURITY – A NORTHERN PERSPECTIVE   Russia´s illegal military aggression against Ukraine and the aggressive stance of President Putin against Europe have led in almost all European countries to a reevaluation of their security situation and policies. In view of the profoundly changed security environment in Europe, the Government of Finland – with its 1343 km common border and a historically charged relationship to Russia – applied for NATO-membership in May 2022. Finland´s neighbor Sweden did so simultaneously. – In both countries, this historic step ending a long period of non-alignment – was based on broad support in the population. Finland became NATO-member in July 2023, Sweden in March 2024. Eva Nowotny will discuss with her guests Nina Vaskunlahti, Ambassador of Finland in Austria, and Wolfgang Mühlberger from the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation the impact of NATO-membership on Finland´s foreign and security policy as well as their expectations and ideas for the European Union and the Western Alliance in a conflict-ridden international situation.   Nina Vaskunlahti, Ambassador of Finland in AustriaWolfgang Mühlberger, Senior Advisor MENA & Strategy at CMI / Martti Ahtisaari Peace FoundationEva Nowotny, Ambassador ret., Vice-President of Bruno Kreisky Forum

Robert Misik im Gespräch mit Hedwig Richter und Bernd Ulrich DEMOKRATIE UND REVOLUTIONWege aus der selbstverschuldeten ökologischen Unmündigkeit Junge Menschen brechen auf der Straße das Recht und berufen sich dabei auf das Klima-Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts, nach dem die Lebenden nicht das Recht haben, die Freiheit künftiger Generationen zu halbieren. Die Bundesregierung hält sich nicht an das Pariser Abkommen und stößt zugleich an die Grenzen des Wachstums und der Schuldenbremse, weil die Kosten der Klimakrise und des Klimawandels zugleich aufgebracht werden müssen. Es ist ein Widerspruch entstanden zwischen Demokratie und Ökologie, zwischen dem unabwendbaren Zeitdruck und der anscheinend gottgegebenen Langsamkeit der Demokratie. Die Historikerin Hedwig Richter und der ZEIT-Journalist Bernd Ulrich wollen diesen Widerspruch überwinden und zeigen, wie eine notwendige Revolution zur Erhaltung unserer Lebensgrundlagen einhergehen kann mit der notwendigen Verteidigung und Entfaltung der Demokratie. Dazu schauen sie zurück und in die Zukunft. Sie fragen nach der dunklen Seite der Demokratiegeschichte, nach den oft zerstörerischen sozialen und fossilen Bedingungen, unter denen sich unsere Demokratie in Deutschland und anderswo entfaltet hat. Und sie entwerfen eine Zukunft, die auch den kommenden Generationen die Gestaltungsfreiheiten garantieren, die für eine Demokratie essenziell sind. Hedwig Richter, Professorin für Neuere und Neueste Geschichte an der Univ. der Bundeswehr in MünchenUlrich Bernd, Redakteur der ZEITRobert Misik, Autor und Journalist

Cathrin Kahlweit im Gespräch mit Judith Kohlenberger GEGEN DIE NEUE HÄRTE   »Ein kluges und wichtiges Buch, das hoffentlich die Debatten auf den Kopf stellen wird.« Jagoda Marinic Seit Europas großer »Flüchtlingskrise« 2015 tritt eine neue Härte in Wort und in Tat zutage. Die Normalisierung des Leids und Elends an unseren Grenzen machte uns gleichgültiger, apathischer und kälter gegenüber Minderheiten und Marginalisierten. Fatal wirkte die Strategie, „den Rechten“ das Wasser abzugraben, indem man deren Positionen und Diskurse übernahm. Ist es doch erst die Anbiederung an die extremen Ränder, die Illiberalität und Autoritarismus erstarken lässt, Gesellschaften intoleranter und radikaler macht. Die Migrationsforscherin und Kulturwissenschaftlerin Judith Kohlenberger zeigt eindrücklich, welch hohen Preis wir für unsere Abschottung vom anderen zahlen – und setzt dem die Zugewandtheit entgegen. Ihr Buch ist ein Plädoyer dafür, der Härte die Stirn zu bieten, indem man an der vermeintlich harten Grenze zum anderen Raum für Austausch, Nähe und Demokratisierung schafft; kleine Löcher in die Mauern der Gegenwart bohrt, um das Neue, Fremde, Inspirierende hineinzulassen; mehr spürt, nicht weniger. Eben einander zugewandt bleibt.   Judith Kohlenberger ist Migrationsforscherin an der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, dem Österreichischen Institut für Internationale Politik (oiip) und dem Jacques Delors Centre Berlin. Sie ist Mitglied des Integrationsrats der Stadt Wien, Mitherausgeberin der Zeitschrift für Flucht- und Flüchtlingsforschung und Host des Podcasts Aufnahmebereit. Mit Das Fluchtparadox (2022) war sie für den Deutschen Sachbuchpreis nominiert. Cathrin Kahlweit, Journalistin und Publizistin, korrespondentin der Süddeutschen Zeitung für Mittel- und Osteuropa

Tessa Szyszkowitz in conversation with Adam Shatz RESISTANCE TO INJUSTICEFrom Frantz Fanon to Solidarity Encampments at US-UniversitiesLessons to learn from Protest Movements When Adam Shatz, US editor of the London Review of Books, researched his biography of Frantz Fanon “The Rebel’s Clinic”, he could not have known how topical the exploration of the rebel’s thinking would be in 2024. The psychiatrist and political philosopher was a militant, opposing French colonial rule in Algeria. A highly sensitive topic given the heated debate at Western universities about October 7th and the war in Gaza. Fanon died early at the age of 36, but his call for justice for the oppressed of colonialist powers in his book „The Wretched of the Earth“(in German “Die Verdammten dieser Erde”) is still heard, whenever the question arises: How to oppose injustice? Not with Hamas style violence, of course. There are other powerful forms of protest. As Adam Shatz writes in The London Review of Books in his recent essay “Israel’s descent” we now see a new protest movement which might be the most consequential wave of resistance so far as it happens in the middle of Western society: Among the students are many young Jews who do not want to identify with an explicitly illiberal state like Israel. While Shatz is aware of the danger of radicalization among the protesters, he states: “The birth of a global movement in opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza and in defence of Palestinians rights, is, if nothing else, a sign that Israel has lost the moral war among people of conscience.” Adam Shatz is an author, the US editor of The London Review of Books and a contributor to The New York Times Magazine, The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, and other publications. He is also a visiting professor at Bard College, and the host of the podcast “Myself with Others,” produced by the pianist Richard Sears. Tessa Szyszkowitz is an Austrian journalist and author. A UK correspondent for Austrian and German publications such as Falter or Tagesspiegel, she curates Philoxenia at Kreiskyforum and she is a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute in London.

Robert Misik im Gespräch mit Nikolaus Kowall RAUS AUS DER GLOBALISIERUNGSFALLE Turbo-Kapitalismus, Klimakrise, Ungleichheit: Wie schaffen wir die sozial-ökologische Transformation der Wirtschaft? Ungezügelte Märkte und Hyper-Globalisierung haben uns in die totale Abhängigkeit des Weltmarkts geführt. Aber wie wegkommen von Rohstoff-Raubbau, Soja, Fast Fashion und anderen billigen Import-Drogen? Und jetzt auch noch die Dekarbonisierung schaffen? Ist das der Todesstoß für unsere Industrie? Es ist eine echte Chance, meint Nikolaus Kowall. Denn die ökologische Transformation führt zu höherer Wertschöpfung. Importe werden durch Eigenproduktion ersetzt. Was wir dafür brauchen, sind gezielte Markteingriffe, damit der grüne Umbau der Wirtschaft nicht durch ruinösen Wettbewerb verhindert wird. Wachen wir auf, sonst passiert die Zukunft ohne uns. Nikolaus Kowall, ÖkonomRobert Misik, Autor und Journalist Nikolaus Kowall ist Ökonom und politischer Aktivist. Seit 15 Jahren in der SPÖ. Er ebnete zuletzt Andreas Babler den Weg zur Kandidatur zum SPÖ-Chef. Wissenschaftlich landete Kowall nach Stationen in Düsseldorf und Berlin schließlich als Hochschullehrer an der FH des BFI Wien. Der Ökonom versucht die Sozialdemokratie auch inhaltlich zu entstauben und weiterzudenken, ohne dabei an den Grundwerten zu rütteln.

Book Presentation Viola Raheb in conversation with Hind Kabawat, Randa Siniora and Heidemarie Winkel WOMEN'S POLITICAL BIOGRAPHIES IN THE MENAT REGION At the end of the conference at the Bruno Kreisky Forum in November 2023 on „Women’s lives and agency in the MENAT Region- between political activism and realism“, women from different countries and backgrounds were invited to shed light on their contexts, socio-economic and political developments, violence – especially gender-based violence – in times of war and its impact on women’s lives, engagement and agency. With the rise of populism and reactionary movements, women’s rights seem to need to be renegotiated. As a result of polarization and ambivalence, listening to and understanding women from the MENAT region is becoming less important. In many Western countries, a hegemonic perception of the lives and work of women in the MENAT region prevails and a knowledge deficit compared to other regions of the world, e.g. Latin America, still exists. The book aims to give female political actors from the region a face and a name by using biographical essays as a method of knowledge production and awareness-raising, while promoting synergies and advocating the need for networking and cooperation. „Eleven biographies from seven different countries from diverse generations, backgrounds, and areas of engagement are presented in this book. In their biographies, the contributors address political developments over the last decades in their countries and the region. Historical political phases, be it the end of the colonial rule and the phase of independence in Tunisia, the Baath-rule era and the war in Syria, or the Palestinian Nakba of 1948 and the continuing wars and displacement of Palestinians, become embodied in the lives of the women narrators and how these phases shaped and still shape their lives and work.” Viola Raheb, Co-Editor   Welcome:Getraud Auer Borea d’Olmo, General Secretary of the BKF Introductory remarks:Ursula Plassnik, former Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Ambassador ret. Hind Kabawat, former deputy head of the Syrian Negotiation Commission’s Geneva Office and a former member of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC); President of TASTAKEL women’s organization for women’s empowerment and peacebuilding Randa Siniora, General director of the Women´s Center for Legal Aid and Counselling and Palestinian human rights activist Heidemarie Winkel, professor of sociology at Universität Bielefeld and senior research associate at the VHI/St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge University (UK) Viola Raheb, scholar of religious studies lecturer, writer and Senior Fellow at BKF

Margit Schmidt und Gertraud Auer Borea d'Olmo: EINE GESCHICHTE ÜBER DAS KREISKY FORUM Margit Schmidt begann 1965 als Sekretärin im Kabinett des Außenministers Bruno Kreisky, und folgte dann Kreisky in das Büro des Vorsitzenden der SPÖ zwischen 1967 und 1970. Von 1970 bis 1983 leitete Schmidt das Büro des Bundeskanzlers Bruno Kreisky und war bis zu seinem Tod im Jahr 1990 seine engste Mitarbeiterin. Nach dem Tod des Alt-Bundeskanzlers 1990 baute sie das Bruno Kreisky Forum in Wien-Döbling auf. Von 1991 bis 2004 war Margit Schmidt dessen Generalsekretärin. Seither ist sie Mitglied des Vorstandes. Mag. Gertraud Auer Borea d’Olmo studierte in Wien und Paris Sprachen, Architektur, Theater und Politik. 1980 – 2004 war sie als freischaffende Kulturmanagerin tätig. (Theater i.d. Drachengasse, Wiener Festwochen, Centre Pompidou, Bruno Kreisky Forum). 1991-1995 fungierte sie als Beraterin des Bundesministers für Unterricht und Kunst. Seit 2005 ist Gertraud Borea d’Olmo Generalsekretärin des Bruno Kreisky Forums für internationalen Dialog. Mit August 2024 wechselt sie in den Vorstand und übergibt die Geschäftsführung an Mag. Sabine Kroissenbrunner. Tessa Szyszkowitz, Journalistin und Kuratorin, spricht mit Margit Schmidt und Gertraud Auer Borea d'Olmo über die Geschichte des Bruno Kreisky Forums für internationalen Dialog seit der Gründung und ihr Engagement dafür. Aufgezeichnet im Kreisky Forum am 18. Juni 2024.

Cathrin Kahlweit in conversation with Boris Akunin CONSCIENCE AND PROTEST – WRITING ABOUT RUSSIA   Boris Akunin is much more than just a renowned author and famous for his bestselling crime stories; he is also considered a beacon of courage in challenging times. With a literary repertoire spanning numerous genres and captivating millions of readers worldwide, Akunin’s works have earned him international acclaim and admiration. In addition to his literary pursuits, Boris Akunin is a vocal critic of Russia’s government, speaking out against injustice and advocating for politcal change. After manipulated Duma elections in 2011 he became one of the organisers of the so called Bolotnaya protests in Moscow. Akunin’s books have faced censorship and have been banned from Russian bookshops and libraries due to his criticism of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Today he lives in exile – and still gets attacked by the Russian government, calling him an “enemy to the Russian people” and a “foreign agent”, therefore he has been included in Russia’s «terrorists and extremists list» with an international arrest warrant issued.   Boris Akunin, the pseudonym of Grigory Chkhartishvili, is a renowned Russian writer celebrated for his historical detective fiction. Through his captivating novels, he delves into the complexities of Russian society, blending thorough historical detail with captivating storytelling. Akunin explores themes of morality and identity while maintaining a keen eye on contemporary Russia. After his critique on the Russian attack on Ukraine, his books have been banned from Russian bookshops and libraries. Cathrin Kahlweit, journalist and publicist, Süddeutsche Zeitung correspondent for Central and Eastern Europe

Tessa Szyszkowitz in conversation with Kirsty Lang THE BBC UNDER PRESSUREHow public broadcasters adapt to the 21st century   The British Broadcasting Corporation BBC is considered to be the best public television and radio station in the world. But is it still? For years “Auntie Beeb” has been struggling with adapting to the changing landscape of media in the 21st century. Younger viewers leave TV for other, newer, faster media. Subsequently the discussion about the license fee has been gathering speed. Should every household pay a yearly fee to support professional, balanced, high-quality television – including high quality news programs which seem ever more important in uncertain times, when fake news floods our information channels. Public broadcasters and their financing models are under threat – not only because they need to think about new financing models – should they allow advertising or not? There is also political pressure on the BBC – heightened during the period of the populist Brexit government under Boris Johnson – but public broadcasters always have to fend off undue influence. These developments are difficult challenges not only for the BBC, but all public broadcasters like ORF and ARD. Kirsty lang will discuss in conversation with Tessa Szyszkowitz how the BBC is dealing with the situation and which lessons different public broadcasters could learn from each other.   Kirsty Lang is a journalist, broadcaster and former foreign correspondent with wide ranging global experience. She spent most of her career in the BBC working as a reporter, a foreign correspondent, and a TV news anchor. She also presented BBC Radio’s flagship arts programme Front Row for 19 years. She is also a regular contributor to the Sunday Times and the Financial Times (for whom she has written about Vienna’s social housing model) Kirsty also chairs the boards of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, Newcastle and the environmental NGO, Global Witness. Tessa Szyszkowitz, journalist, author and historian, is a foreign affairs commentator and UK correspondent for Falter. Her last book was Echte Engländer, Britain & Brexit (2018). She is also Distinguished Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

Robert Misik in conversation with James Galbraith INFLATION, SANCTIONS AND INDUSTRIAL POLICYThoughts on the Disorder in Economic Thought   James K. Galbraith, one of the leading left-wing American economists, examines the economic policy debates in the USA and Europe: inflation has led to real wage losses in Europe, but also to rising costs for companies, particularly in industry. However, the USA has been quicker to get inflation under control and, with the Biden administration’s “Inflation Reduction Act”, has put together a package of investments in infrastructure as well as subsidies for ecological transformation. But is this the new form of industrial policy that is needed? Galbraith is skeptical. In Europe, on the other hand, the spectre of “de-industrialization” is already being raised, not least due to the rise in energy prices and production costs in general. How can the European economy respond to this? The programs to date are little more than a drop in the ocean. What needs to be done to achieve a prosperous economy that lifts all boats, not just the luxury yachts? Justice, innovation and ecological transformation – do they go together?   James Galbraith is an American economist. He is currently a professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and at the Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin. He is also a Senior Scholar with the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College and part of the executive committee of the World Economics Association, created in 2011. Robert Misik, Author and Journalist