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Political Trials
By Roger BerkowitzIn the final chapters of Eichmann in Jerusalem, Hannah Arendt worries that the very strength of the Israeli Court in its trial of Adolf Eichmann—its fairness and its fidelity to law—prevented the court from understanding that Eichmann’s unprecedented acts required a political rather than a legal response. Eichmann himself argued that if he were guilty, it was of “aiding and abetting” in the commission of horrific crimes, that he himself had not...
10-22-2019
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Campus Politics
Liel Leibovitz offers an interesting perspective on the current wave of identity politics on college campuses in Tablet...06-02-2019
Immortality and Politics
Roger Berkowitz writes about immortality, Arendt, and Amber Scorah's reflections on grief.06-02-2019
The Greatest Possible Torment: The Last Judgment by Frans Floris
Max Feldman writes about the holocaust, Arendt, and Frans Floris's The Last Judgment in this month's column.05-31-2019
Why Arendt Matters: Bill T Jones
Roger Berkowitz talks with choregrapher and director Bill T. Jones about the importance of Hannah Arendt's ideas and writings. 05-31-2019
The Unquestioned Optimism of Futurists
This week, we are republishing an essay from Nikita Nelin, originally published in February, 2019.05-31-2019
What Does It Mean to Educate Citizens?
Leon Botstein, Bard College President, discusses education and the public sphere in this talk from our 2013 Annual Conference05-31-2019
The New Aristocrats
By Roger BerkowitzMatthew Stewart in The Atlantic rehearses the truth that the top one percent of Americans are villains and the bottom 99 percent are the good guys. The reality, he argues, is more complicated. Stewart divides us instead into three classes. There is the top 0.1 percent who are masters of the universe and the bottom 90 percent who are losing out in a race to the bottom. In between is the top 9.9 percent who Stewart calls “the new aristocrats.” While it is easy to claim to be part of the 99%, many who do so are part of this new aristocracy who Stewart argues are “accomplices in a process that is slowly strangling the economy, destabilizing American politics, and eroding democracy.”
05-26-2019
Leadership and Academic Freedom
Roger Berkowitz writes about the Wall Street Journal's coverage of strong leadership and engaged debate at Bard College.05-26-2019
Taking White Interests Seriously?
By Roger BerkowitzIsaac Chotiner of The New Yorker interviews Eric Kauffman about his new book Whiteshift: Populism, Immigration, and the Future of White Majorities. Kauffman’s book looks analyzes a double insight...
05-26-2019