First the Covid Pandemic, and then the war in Ukraine has raised existential questions for Europe. With many old certainties shattered, and old ideas called into question, a mood of disorientation haunts Europe. Approaching the question of European renewal requires us to look again at two once unfashionable areas of discussion: history and values, for one, and geopolitics, for the other. Until recently, many assumed that historical questions and moral problems had been put to bed by the era of the ‘end of history’. But understanding history and thinking morally is now more urgent than ever. Similarly, many assumed that geopolitical questions would increasingly be side-lined by democratic peace, European enlargement, or the interconnection of the world brought about by globalisation. Today, we see that geopolitical questions once again loom large.
This landmark conference to mark the launch of MCC Brussels will grapple with both these issues head on, inviting academics and thinkers from across the continent for a dialogue about the way forward. Together, we will ask: Is European renewal possible, and what would it require? Whither Europe amid global disorder?