BlomCast

David Bell is Professor for the Era of North American Revolutions at Princeton University. He has written a biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, and much of his research is focussed on the French Revolution, the history of the Enlightenment, and on the importance of charisma in political leadership. In our conversation we discuss what makes a charismatic leader and why some historical moments tilt the balance of power towards charismatic leaders, past and present. How much is the Enlightenment legacy of human rights, individualism and universalism under threat as democracy is on the retreat and universities, scientific research, institutions, freedom of speech, and human rights are being questioned? And was there really one Enlightenment, and was it not completely hijacked by capitalism, communism, and colonialism, to leave little more than a dry shell of empty slogans? Is the Enlightenment still an inspiration for today? Support the show

As a scholar of Arabic language and literature, Tim has made classic Arabic literature his life’s work, and has lived in Yemen until 2019. His special interest at the moment is the great scholar Ibn Khaldoun, who lived in the 14th century and who was one of the great thinkers about power, society, and, yes, being Arab, a concept linked to language more than to territory or ethnicity — or even religion. Ibn Khaldoun created an analytical lens through which societal dynamics and turning points become very clear. So, what does being Arab really mean, what did it mean at the time of the writing of the Quran, and what does it mean today? How did the love of the language influence the confrontation with new technologies such as printing with moveable type, and, lately, social media? What did it mean to be Arab for the demonstrators of the Arab Spring, and what can it mean in a time when language is so much shaped by social media? Support the show

Im frühen 16. Jahrhundert erhoben sich im süddeutschen Raum tausende von Bauern, Bergwerksknappen und Bürgern gegen ihre adeligen oder kirchlichen Herren. Sie stürmten Burgen und Klöster und forderten mehr Rechte, weniger Frondienste, weniger Steuern und die freie Ernennung von Priestern. Gerd Schwerhoff hat diese Welle von Rebellionen, durch die innerhalb von wenig mehr als einem Jahr 70.000 Menschen zu Tode kamen, untersucht und nacherzählt. War dies die erste Sozialrevolution Europas oder nur eine Serie von gescheiterten Aufständen? Wie wichtig war die Reformation für die aufständischen Bauern und welchen Einfluss hatten die Abschaffung der Almenden und der Buchdruck? Geschichte, sagt man, wird immer von Siegern geschrieben. In diesem Falle ist es sicher so. Die meisten offiziellen Dokumente kommen von der Seite, die die Aufstände niederschlug und die Anführer oft grausam hinrichten ließ. Was können wir von der anderen Seite wissen, davon, was sie dachten, wie sie den Konflikt erlebten und wie sie sich daran erinnerten?Support the show

Once more a dive into deep history, this time into the question how languages developed, and how it is possible to reconstruct the history and genesis of languages, and with them of abstract thinking and civilisation. Laura Spinney is a distinguished and bestselling science writer. In her new book Proto she looks at the world of languages before the indo-european and sino-tibetan language families that today represent the bulk of the 7000 or so languages still spoken today. But apart from the mere question of history: how does language colour and influence the way we think about the world and we perceive it? How do we think about things for which we lack the vocabulary? This question has preoccupied philosophers for centuries and we try to apply Laura’s historical insights to throw a little light on the matter.Support the show

Ian Buruma is a historian, biographer, memorialist and essayist between “East” and “West" whose insights and intellectual precision make him a joy to discuss with. In his recent biography of Spinoza he argues that the great Enlightenment philosopher has a message that is more urgent today than ever. The idea of a West, of a realm of rational rule and individual choice, of emancipation and liberty, began with these early Enlightenment thinkers as well as with Protestantism which eliminated the priest as intermediary between God and his people, making the relationship to the divine a matter based on individual conscience and personal choice. But what is left of this great utopia in a time in which democracies appear to collapse and the legacy of the Enlightenment seems in crisis? Do these ideals and principles still have the power to carry a social consensus, as well as societies and states, or is this the beginning of the sunset of Enlightened thinking?Support the show

Julian Baggini is one of the most insightful writers on philosophy in general and the Enlightenment in particular I know. We talk about the Enlightenment, and in how far it was the radical turning point as which it is often seen, or whether it does not mask great continuities under the guise of dramatic change. Has the Enlightenment released a vast liberating energy or was it just another mask of power? And does Western culture have a god-shaped hole at its heart. And how does one talk about the problems of the time if our shared use of language has been ring-fenced so rigidly that it is almost impossible to have a conversation about it? Is there a connection between Enlightenment traditions, liberal values and plain old hypocrisy? And is it possible to rescue these ideals from the hypocrisy that cloaks them? I had immense fun encountering Julian’s sharp thinking, his historical and political points?Support the show

A historian and journalist, Misha Glenny has written about the history of the Balkans the wars in Yugoslavia, about cybercrime, and about international organised crime in “McMafia” which also became a TV series. In this free-ranging conversation we not only revisit his fascination with history and with accelerating change, but we also discuss what will be next for an international order at the brink of collapse.Support the show

Luuk van Middelaar is head of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, as he points out an ironic name, because  until very recently Brussels and geopolitics rarely occurred in the same sentence. But things have changed, and in a new world in which Russia is invading Ukraine and the USA are, as Luuk put it, “the sun leaving the solar system” Europe will have to find a completely new stance. This ist big history, and we’re right in it. But what could a good European future be? Is the continent capable of reinventing itself? And is the EU the right instrument for this? So many questions, so many really interesting answers from Luuk.Support the show

In dieser Folge gehe ich zurück zum frühesten aller Wendepunkte der menschlichen Geschichte. Die Primatologin Julia Fischer studiert Paviane und besucht seit vielen Jahren dieselbe Gruppe von Tieren, um ihre Kommunikation und ihr Sozialverhalten besser zu verstehen. Obwohl andere Pavian-Arten brutal und hierarchisch sind, sind diese Tiere anders, sanfter, und haben flachere Hierarchien. Wie entstehen die Strukturen einer Primatengesellschaft? Sind die Unterschiede zwischen Ihnen durch Umweltfaktoren bedingt, und was können uns Paviane und andere Primaten über Menschen und ihre Gesellschaften sagen?Support the show

Ulrich Schmid ist Slawist und unterrichtet an der Universität Sankt Gallen. Sein Wendepunkt ist die Revolution 1917 und besonders die Rolle von Lenin dabei. Einmal mehr stellt sich die Frage, ob Revolutionen wirklich radikale Umbrüche sind, oder ob sie nicht auch viele Kontinuitäten kaschieren. Die Art der Machtausübung und das Verständnis davon, wie das Verhältnis zwischen Regierenden und Regierten funktioniert, ist jedenfalls bemerkenswert stabil geblieben, argumentiert Ulrich Schmid, und auch Putins historische Vorbilder zeigen, wie er die russische Geschichte sieht. Wir sprechen darüber, was Wladimir Putin von Lenin gelernt hat, welche Rolle Alexander Dugin im neuen Russland spielt, wie sich nicht nur in Russland längst ein postmoderner Wahrheitsbegriff durchgesetzt hat und welche russischen Autorinnen und Autoren mein Gast heute liest.Support the show