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250 Years of the United States: Public Lecture Series
The Institute for European Global Studies will host a public lecture series marking the 250th anniversary of the United States from 7 October to 16 December 2026. The lectures take place on Wednesdays from 18:15 to 20:00 in the Aula of the Kollegienhaus, University of Basel. International experts will discuss the state and future of American democracy and explore the global implications of current political developments in the US.
The lecture series “European Global Studies: Focus 250 Years of the United States of America”, organized by Corey Ross and Ralph Weber, brings together distinguished international speakers to examine the United States from a global perspective. The lectures address key questions concerning American democracy, US foreign policy, global stability, economic cooperation, and the future of democratic norms.
Speakers and dates
7 October 2026 – Zeid Al Hussein
President of the International Peace Institute; Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania; former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2014–2018).
14 October 2026 – Leslie Vinjamuri
President and CEO of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Professor of Practice in International Relations and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London.
“Disorder, Disruption, and Domestic Turmoil: What are the Global Implications of America's Troubled Polity?”
11 November 2026 – Amy Greene
Senior Fellow for American Politics at Institut Montaigne.
“State of the Dis-Union at 250: What Is American Democracy Now and Where Is It Headed?”
2 December 2026 – Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook
Senior Advisor in the “Europe’s Future” Program at the Bertelsmann Stiftung; Non-Resident Fellow at the Global Public Policy Institute, Berlin.
9 December 2026 – Bob Rae
Distinguished Fellow at the University of Toronto; Matthews Fellow at Queen’s University; Visitor at Massey College; Associate Fellow at Chatham House; former Premier of Ontario and former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations (2020–2025).
“Why the Struggle for Democracy has Always been Difficult – With Examples from the US and from all around the World”
16 December 2026 – Mario Del Pero
Professor of International History at Sciences Po, Paris; Research Fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), Milan; 2026–2027 Kissinger Chair in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Library of Congress.
“Declaring Independence, Recognizing (and Exploiting) Interdependence: Power, Sovereignty, and the Dilemmas of Modern US Hegemony”