In this episode of the "Vienna Coffee House Conversations" podcast, Ivan Vejvoda interviews Ivan Marović, executive director of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, about his experiences and insights on nonviolent civil resistance. Marović reflects on his journey from his work as a highly consequential student activist to his current role promoting civil resistance globally. He emphasizes the importance of sustained, organized movements over spontaneous protests and the need for civil society to actively engage in politics to prevent authoritarianism.

Marović discusses the evolution of his understanding of nonviolent conflict and the lessons learned from past movements. He highlights the significance of inter-generational support and the need for a strategic, long-term approach to civil resistance. The conversation also engages with the current state of democracy and the factors contributing to the widespread sense of democratic decline.

Vejvoda and Marović explore the challenges and opportunities for movements in today's political climate, particularly in the context of rising authoritarianism and political disengagement. They conclude by discussing the potential for young people to influence political change and the critical role of political education in fostering a more engaged and resilient civil society.

Ivan Marović is an activist and expert in nonviolent resistance, renowned for his pivotal role in Serbia's Otpor! movement, which was instrumental in the overthrow of Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. As one of the movement's leaders, Marović helped develop strategies that mobilized significant grassroots support and led to a peaceful transition of power. Following this success, he dedicated his career to advising and training pro-democracy groups around the globe. Currently, Marović serves as the Executive Director of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC), where he continues to advocate for strategic nonviolent action and educate others on the principles of civil resistance.

find Ivan on X @ivanmarovic

read more about the ICNC on their website at nonviolent-conflict.org

Ivan Vejvoda is Head of the Europe's Futures program at IWM implemented in partnership with ERSTE Foundation. The program is dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and the generation of ideas addressing pivotal challenges confronting Europe and the European Union: nexus of borders and migration, deterioration in rule of law and democracy and European Union’s enlargement prospects.

The Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) is an institute of advanced studies in the humanities and social sciences. Founded as a place of encounter in 1982 by a young Polish philosopher, Krzysztof Michalski, and two German colleagues in neutral Austria, its initial mission was to create a meeting place for dissenting thinkers of Eastern Europe and prominent scholars from the West.

Since then it has promoted intellectual exchange across disciplines, between academia and society, and among regions that now embrace the Global South and North. The IWM is an independent and non-partisan institution, and proudly so. All of our fellows, visiting and permanent, pursue their own research in an environment designed to enrich their work and to render it more accessible within and beyond academia.

you can find IWM's website at:

https://www.iwm.at/

Kicking off the second half of season three where we will look beyond the ranks of Europe's Futures' fellows to bring you conversations from thought leaders and key thinkers across the academic and policy spectrum, this new episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations with Ivan Vejvoda features a conversation with distinguished professor Ruth Wodak. Ruth shares her expertise on the recurring evils of history, particularly emphasizing contemporary antisemitism and its roots. Her personal story, interwoven with academic observations, provides a poignant backdrop and urgency to the conversation about the resurgence of right-wing politics in Europe.

Ruth Wodak is a distinguished linguist and Emerita Distinguished Professor of Discourse Studies at Lancaster University, as well as a retired Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Vienna. Renowned for her research in critical discourse studies, Wodak's work delves into topics such as language in politics, identity politics, gender studies, and the discourse of racism and anti-Semitism. Over her career, she has been recognized with numerous awards including the Wittgenstein Prize for Elite Researchers in 1996 and the Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria in 2011. Wodak has held several prestigious visiting professorships globally and has authored and co-authored numerous influential books and articles, with her research being translated into many languages.

More details on "Das kann immer noch in Wien passieren" from Czernin
Find her at the University of Lancaster

Ivan Vejvoda is Head of the Europe's Futures program at IWM implemented in partnership with ERSTE Foundation. The program is dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and the generation of ideas addressing pivotal challenges confronting Europe and the European Union: nexus of borders and migration, deterioration in rule of law and democracy and European Union’s enlargement prospects.

The Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) is an institute of advanced studies in the humanities and social sciences. Founded as a place of encounter in 1982 by a young Polish philosopher, Krzysztof Michalski, and two German colleagues in neutral Austria, its initial mission was to create a meeting place for dissenting thinkers of Eastern Europe and prominent scholars from the West.

Since then it has promoted intellectual exchange across disciplines, between academia and society, and among regions that now embrace the Global South and North. The IWM is an independent and non-partisan institution, and proudly so. All of our fellows, visiting and permanent, pursue their own research in an environment designed to enrich their work and to render it more accessible within and beyond academia.

you can find IWM's website at:

https://www.iwm.at/

In this episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations, Ivan Vejvoda hosts Ieva Česnulaitytė, Europe's Futures Fellow of the IWM and ERSTE Foundation, for a discussion of current issues facing the world's democracies. They examine the declining trust in democratic institutions, the rise of populism, and increasing political polarization. Česnulaitytė brings her background in democratic innovation to talk about the role of citizens' assemblies and participatory governance in addressing these challenges. The conversation also covers the impact of technology on cross-cultural deliberations and the importance of face-to-face interactions in community trust-building.

Ieva Česnulaitytė is the Founding Head of Research and Learning at DemocracyNext. Previously a Policy Analyst at the OECD, focusing on citizen participation and open government, she contributed to establishing the OECD's evidence base on sortition-based citizens' assemblies and co-authored the report "Catching the Deliberative Wave". She supported European governments in citizen engagement practices and was involved in developing deliberative processes in Finland and Spain. Her interest in democratic innovation grew during her work in Lithuania’s Prime Minister's office, leading Lithuania’s participation in the Open Government Partnership Initiative. She is a Europe's Futures Fellow for 2023/2024.

• Find Ieva on X @ICesnulaityte
  DemocracyNext's website is here.

Ivan Vejvoda  is Head of the Europe's Futures program at IWM implemented in partnership with ERSTE Foundation. The program is dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and the generation of ideas addressing pivotal challenges confronting Europe and the European Union: nexus of borders and migration, deterioration in rule of law and democracy and European Union’s enlargement prospects.

The Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) is an institute of advanced studies in the humanities and social sciences. Founded as a place of encounter in 1982 by a young Polish philosopher, Krzysztof Michalski, and two German colleagues in neutral Austria, its initial mission was to create a meeting place for dissenting thinkers of Eastern Europe and prominent scholars from the West.

Since then it has promoted intellectual exchange across disciplines, between academia and society, and among regions that now embrace the Global South and North. The IWM is an independent and non-partisan institution, and proudly so. All of our fellows, visiting and permanent, pursue their own research in an environment designed to enrich their work and to render it more accessible within and beyond academia.

you can find IWM's website at:

https://www.iwm.at/