We warmly welcome you to the conference The Origins of Totalitarianism Today. From the Crises of Democracy to New Beginnings. This event commemorates the 75th Anniversary of publication of Hannah Arendt’s seminal study of totalitarianism with contributions of excellent international Arendt scholars. We want to discuss the relevance of The Origins for the current political landscape and its significance for understanding the crises of democracy, the resurgence of authoritarian politics, and the fragility of democratic institutions worldwide.

We are looking forward to seeing you there, Maria Robaszkiewicz and Ari-Elmeri Hyvönen (organizers)

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At a moment in which conspiracy theories, ideological polarization, loneliness, statelessness, mass superfluity, and the crisis of human rights increasingly shape political realities, Arendt’s reflections on “total domination” appear strikingly contemporary. The conference invites an interdisciplinary engagement with the continuing relevance of The Origins of Totalitarianism and explores how Arendt’s analysis can help us better understand both familiar and emerging forms of anti-democratic politics today.

Bringing together scholars from different fields and international institutions, the conference seeks not only to revisit Arendt’s diagnosis of totalitarianism, but also to reflect on possibilities for democratic renewal and new political beginnings in the present.

The conference is associated with the forthcoming edited volume Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism at 75(Cambridge University Press, 2027), edited by the organizers Ari-Elmeri Hyvönen (University of Jyväskylä) and Maria Robaszkiewicz (Paderborn University).