How did the transition to parliamentary democracy succeed in England, the USA, and France – and why did it take so much longer in Germany? In his latest book, Sovereign Decisions, Philipp Lepenies examines key milestones and protagonists in the history of democracy, demonstrating that democracy is not a given. Those who understand its “becoming” recognize the threats it faces today. What must be done to safeguard or revitalize it? This and other questions he explores in conversation with journalist Natascha Freundel.

A event of the Cluster of Excellence“Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS)“ in cooperation with Suhrkamp Verlag and Urania

Philipp Lepenies is Professor of Politics with a focus on sustainability and Director of the Research Centre for Sustainability FFN at Freie Universität Berlin. He conducts research on sustainability, poverty, development, inequality and social cohesion and is Principal Investigator of the Cluster of Excellence „Contestations of the Liberal Script“ (SCRIPTS).

Natascha Freundel is an editor and literary critic at rbb, as well as a columnist and moderator. She studied philosophy, modern German literature, and Russian studies in Berlin and Frankfurt am Main. For a decade, she worked as a freelance journalist for ARD cultural broadcasters and various newspapers, reporting from Berlin, Israel, and Eastern Europe with a focus on Soviet and post-Soviet history and Jewish culture in Israel.