What does Europe look like under pressure? On 10 December, we bring together Caroline De Gruyter (NRC), Erik Jones (European University Institute), and Sabine Gimbrère (City of Amsterdam) to discuss whether today’s crises are strengthening European cooperation or testing its limits.

What role does religion play in the rise of illiberal politics? At a recent ACES workshop participants examined how religious and moral frameworks shape political legitimacy and contribute to contemporary democratic erosion, even in contexts often assumed to be secular.

🔺 Dutch General Election 2025: How Did We Get Here? Two days after yet another general election in the Netherlands, ACES is hosting a discussion on what the results mean and how we arrived at this moment. 🔴 Watch the event LIVE: www.spui25.nl/programma/th...

🔺 What trade-offs—if any—must Europe make to secure its defence? This pressing question was at the heart of our recent ACES roundtable, where four leading experts brought critical insights to a complex and evolving debate.

📢 Upcoming ACES Seminar ACES is delighted to welcome Mr. Freek Janmaat, Economic Advisor at the Representation of the European Commission in the Netherlands, for an insightful seminar on: 💬 The Dutch Corona Recovery Plan and the Role of the European Commission in the Netherlands.

​​ 📝 On October 29 Dutch voters are heading to the polls for yet another General Election. What to think about the election results? At this event, political experts will discuss this and attempt to make sense of the conflicts that preceded them, as well as what the voters think.

Circumventing News What the Merger between DPG Media and RTL Nederland Tells Us about News Media Resilience in Europe? Join us for the event!

🗣️Event Circumventing News: What the Merger between DPG Media and RTL Nederland Tells Us about News Media Resilience in Europe?

A roundtable discussion on one of the most urgent issues of our time: what needs to be done to shore-up European defence, and what trade-offs (if any) are necessary to do so?

🇪🇺 Exciting news from ACES! We are honoured to have been once again awarded the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, a recognition of our ongoing commitment to advancing research, education, and debate on Europe and the European Union.

Interdisciplinary roundtable by ACES' thematic group The Future of European Democracy👇 The aim is to interrogate: How can European democracies rebuild the institutional and regulatory arrangements that secure citizen knowledge in an era of digital platforms and marketized governance?

“The rise of far-right parties is not only about cultural conflict or immigration – it’s also about geography and the presence of the state,” said Professor Catherine E. De Vries. On September 15, ACES opens the academic year with a timely lecture by Professor De Vries. 🔗 lnkd.in/dJwGvKMh

European integration is often celebrated as a peace project born out of the ashes of war. But what happens when we look at it through the lens of empire and decolonisation? 👉 Join the event to rethink the connections between empire, decolonisation, and European integration.

This two-day workshop aims to bring together scholars examining how social identities are constructed, negotiated, and maintained in European contexts. Register❗

🎓 On September 15, ACES will kick off the 2025-2026 academic year with a lecture by Prof. Catherine E. De Vries: "Public Service Deprivation and the Rise of Populism in Europe." 👉 Registration: aces.uva.nl/content/even...

📢 Upcoming Event: European Integration and Co-Imperialism 🗓 Date: November 4 Join us for a compelling evening exploring how European integration has been deeply connected to imperialism and the legacies of colonialism. spui25.nl/programma/eu...

📚 New Book: Antiliberal Internationalism in the Twentieth Century. ACES affiliates Matthijs Lok, Marjet Brolsma, and Robin de Bruin, together with colleagues from the University of Groningen, have co-edited a new volume: Antiliberal Internationalism in the Twentieth Century: Beyond Left and Right?

"The secret to NATO’s success for the last 76 years has been the fact that the Alliance has always been able to adapt to changing circumstances." – said His Excellency Ambassador Thijs van der Plas, former Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to NATO. Read the full interview👇

"It’s hard these days to be surprised, given how crazy NATO geopolitics have become in the Trump era – where we all can expect the unexpected," said Professor Brian Burgoon, co-director of ACES. Professor Burgoon reflects on the recent NATO summit and explores its key outcomes.

💬 What are the legal and ethical boundaries of protest in democratic societies? In many European democracies, acts of unlawful activism, often defended by protesters as necessary civil disobedience, have become both common and controversial. 🗓️ Join us for a critical conversation.

💬 What does European strategic autonomy really mean in today’s shifting global landscape? Join us on 11 June at 14:00 for an ACES seminar with Paola Subacchi, international economist and Professor of Political Economy at the University of Bologna.

📢Interested in the German elections? Join us on 27 Feb at 8pm in Spui25 for a post-election debate co-organised by @acesuva.bsky.social! Gianna Maria Eick, @theresakuhn.bsky.social, Andreas Schuck & I will discuss campaigns dynamics & pol consequences. More info + registration: tinyurl.com/met4s4u8

Tomorrow ❗️ Join the Seminar by Daniel Gros on Europe’s Mid-Tech Trap! He will address European security, trade, and climate challenges in the context of the new U.S. administration. 🗓️20 February 🕐 13:00 📍REC A2.10 Register 🔗 tinyurl.com/5eyn47er

ACES, in collaboration with the Platform for Democratic Resilience (DEMRES), ARTES, and the Duitsland Instituut Amsterdam (DIA), is delighted to host @jwmueller-pu.bsky.social from Princeton University. He will deliver a lecture and conduct a workshop on Monday, February 3. tinyurl.com/yc4c8f87

As the year wraps up, we're gearing up for next year's events! First confirmed (with many more to come): Europe’s Mid-Tech Trap - a seminar by Daniel Gros. Stay tuned and follow the #ACES official page for updates!

With the holiday season upon us, we would like to take a moment to wish you a very happy holiday season! We can’t wait to share many more memorable moments and events with you next year!

ACES Academic Co-Director Brian Burgoon, in his book co-authored with Peter Trubowitz, explains why a growing gap between the global ambitions of Western democracies and their domestic public support is fueling anti-globalism and nationalist movements.

🌾 At our AISRR Harvest Day, we launched 6 book videos exploring global perspectives in social science, including *Geopolitics & Democracy* by political scientist Brian Burgoon. 🌎 Discover the rise of anti-globalism & nationalist movements in the West. Take a look 👉 youtu.be/UKZ0XpPNUs8?...

🎉Great news! Amsterdam Centre for European Studies received funding at @uva-amsterdam.bsky.social for another 4 years! Join us for the kick-off debate w/ Brian Burgoon, Pola Cebulak & Pieter de Wilde @pieterdewilde.bsky.social on the role of ACES in research & society aces.uva.nl/content/even...