News
At the conference in memory of Donskis – about the impact of the pandemic on mental health
In honor of Leonidas Donskis, a professor at Vytautas Magnus University (Vytautas Magnus University), one of the most outstanding European thinkers, the third conference dedicated to the memory of the philosopher “Mind the Gap. Emotional Well-being and Social Solidarity during COVID-19“. Information and registration: https://www.sakharovcenter-vdu.eu/events/third-leonidas-donskis-memorial-conference/
.jpg "L. Donskis named among key figures of past 30 years in Lithuania")
L. Donskis named among key figures of past 30 years in Lithuania
Professor Vytautas Landsbergis, chairman of the Supreme Council-Reconstituent Seimas, as well as Presidents Valdas Adamkus and Algirdas Brazauskas have been named the most prominent figures in Lithuania over the past three decades, according to a delfit.lt/Reitingai survey. Landsbergis received 412 votes, Adamkus got 403 and Brazauskas was picked by 379 people. They are followed by ex-President Dalia Grybauskaite (364), basketball players Arvydas Sabonis (310), philosopher Leonidas Donskis (289), poet Justinas Marcinkevicius (282), singer Vytautas Kernagis (260), MEP Andrius Kubilius (258) and singer Andrius Mamontovas (227).(Tęsti...)
Kaunas university to open late philosopher Donskis` office featuring his book collection
Vytautas Magnus University (VDU) is opening on Thursday the Leonidas Donskis office featuring the late philosopher`s personal book collection and his creative legacy, VDU said. Preparations for the opening of the office took almost two years and involved bringing in 90 boxes of books from the home of Leonidas and Jolanta Donskis. (Continue...)
Publications
Too Little and Too Late
This is exactly what comes to my mind trying to assess EU policies vis-à-vis Ukraine and Viktor Yanukovych. What happened in Ukraine? That’s obvious: Ukraine and the EuroMaidan are hardly anything less than a Deus ex machina manifestation of pro-European passion and faith. This is more than a timely emergence of such a sentiment, as the EU expects and fears – and rightly so – the European Parliament to be elected in May 2014 that is highly likely to be richly represented by far Right and Euroskeptics. (Continue...)
Discursive handicap of Central and Eastern Europe
In his reflections on Central Europe and Kundera, George Schopflin, a British political theorist of Hungarian background who acts as a member of the European Parliament on behalf of Hungary, aptly described the phenomenon which he termed the discursive handicap of Central Europe and the disparity of linguistic and cultural voices of West and Central Europe. This creates an obvious asymmetry of power and prestige when it comes to the use of languages, discursive strategies, and interpretations. This is more than true with regard to identity politics and educational strategy.(Tęsti...)
Democrats and dictators
George Orwell once offered an insight into the source of double standards applied to violence when it comes to European pacifists. When confronted with facts of violence at home, they take a stand immediately, leaving no room for doubt and ambiguity. Yet they choose to keep a blind eye, if not their eyes wide shut, on violence practiced not in the Western world, or at least not in democracies.(Tęsti...)
