How did the transition to parliamentary democracy take place in England, the United States, and France – and why did it take so much longer in Germany? How were its advocates able to convince others?

In his book Sovereign Decisions, Philipp Lepenies shows that democracy is not self-sustaining; it must be continually re-legitimized and reinterpreted. With current threats in mind, he asks: What roles do elites, institutions, and the people (“the sovereign”) play in the rise and decline of democracy – and what happens when the sovereign turns against democracy itself?

Five concise theses structure the conversation between Philipp Lepenies and journalist Tamina Kutscher, which takes place as part of the exhibition Freedom.

A cooperation between the Excellence Cluster “Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS),” the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum Dresden, and the Federal Agency for Civic Education.

More information: https://shop.dhmd.de/veranstaltungen/scripts-talk

Please note that this event will be held in German.