Hannah Arendt Center Presents

A World We Share | Roger Berkowitz on Hannah Arendt and the Power of Friendship in a Broken World, with Erica Robles Anderson

Hannah Arendt was among the boldest and most original political philosophers of the twentieth century. She explored the conditions of being human, from reconciling the demands of society to the courage to step into political agency, even under conditions of totalitarianism.

Join us for a discussion with Roger Berkowitz about his new book, A World We Share, a bold rethinking of politics through Hannah Arendt’s life, thought, and friendships. Berkowitz argues that politics governed by an objective ideal of truth becomes cruel, coercive, and ultimately anti-political. Friendship—grounded in dialogue, respect, and plurality—offers a more humane political bond.

Arendt, a Jew in Nazi Germany, an exile in Paris and New York, and an uncompromising critic of postwar orthodoxies, survived and flourished through friendships that were intellectually intense, complicated, and morally demanding. Her circle of outsiders included Karl Jaspers, Hans Jonas, Mary McCarthy, Gershom Scholem, Heinrich Blücher, and Martin Heidegger. Together, we will reflect on the necessity of nurturing private and public friendships as the fragile but indispensable foundation of democratic life.

Roger Berkowitz is the founder and academic director of the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities, and professor of Politics, Philosophy, and Human Rights at Bard College. His books include The Gift of Science: Leibniz and the Modern Legal Tradition. He hosts the podcast Reading Hannah Arendt with Roger Berkowitz.

Erica Robles Anderson is a cultural historian and Associate Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University. Her work traces histories of American Collectivity from the postwar period to the present.

BUY TICKETS

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For more information, call 845-758-6822.

Time: 8:00 pm EST/GMT-5

Location: Online Event

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