Europe is entering a period of growing fragmentation. Rising defence pressures, economic stagnation, and geopolitical dependence are colliding at a moment when the European Union appears increasingly unable to act collectively.

We welcome Marco Buti, former Director General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission and one of the key figures behind Europe’s response to the Eurozone crisis.

In this discussion, we discuss the future of the European project; from austerity and common debt to defense spending, industrial policy, and the growing tension between national interests and collective European action.

🫵Student well-being, collaborations with other countries and affordability of education. These are all issues in which the Central Student Council, the CSR, has influence over decisions made by the UvA which have tangible effects on the daily life of all students.Vote here: https://uva.digitaleverkiezing.nl/🗳️To make your voice heard and shape those decisions, you should cast your vote in the upcoming elections to the CSR and to the faculty student councils! The digital ballot boxes are open between the 11th to the 16th of May.💡There is no better place to inform yourself about the positions of the parties than the annual CSR debate, hosted by Room for Discussion. The four biggest parties are going to join us; Activistenpartij, De Vrije Student UvA Sociaal, and INTER. If you are unsure of who to vote for, this is the perfect opportunity to inform yourself.🙋There will be a lot of time for questions from the audience. Come to ask your questions and engage with student politics!The debate took place on Monday, 11th of May 2026.---------------------------------Do you want to see more interviews and be the first to hear about upcoming guests? Follow us here:* Website: http://roomfordiscussion.com* Facebook: http://facebook.com/RoomforDiscussion* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roomfordiscussion * Twitter: http://twitter.com/Room4Discussion

❗️On11th of May, Christian Schmidt announced that he will step down as High Representative for Bosnia and Hercegovina as soon as his successor is found. This interview took place on Wednesday, April 22nd at Roeterseiland Campus

Thirty years after the end of one of Europe's bloodiest post-Cold War conflicts, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains caught between promise and paralysis. Ethnic power-sharing is deadlocked, a separatist leader backed by Moscow, an EU membership prospect nobody believes in, and over a million young people who have already left.

🧑‍⚖️ At the centre of it all stands the High Representative Christian Schmidt, the most powerful figure in Bosnia, with sweeping authority to impose laws and dismiss officials - elected not by the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina but by a foreign entity. 

🕊️ Is Bosnia a success story of international peacebuilding or a tale of what happens with too much foreign influence? And what does it reveal about the competing spheres of influence of the West and Russia? 

We explore these questions with none other than the current High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina himself, Christian Schmidt. 

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Human exceptionalism, the idea that humans are intellectually, morally and socially superior to other lifeforms on this planet, is so fundamental that we barely recognise that it is there.

Dr. Christine Webb is assistant professor of environmental studies at New York University and Author of recently published The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters and lecturer of a course at Harvard University of the same name.

In this discussion, we examine the myriad of scientific and philosophical findings that challenge the human superiority complex, how our relationship to other living beings can be reframed, and what we stand to gain from stepping out of our preconceived notions on plant and animal intelligence.

“The billionaires’ nightmare”, “Rockstar Economist”, or “far-left activist”, Professor Gabriel Zucman goes by many names.With Elon Musk on his way to reaching trillionaire status, public debt accelerating, and far-right parties threatening democratic institutions, a consensus is emerging that economic inequality is reaching excessive levels. The most important question now becomes not why, but how we tax the rich.Zucman is one of the world's foremost experts on economic inequality, tax havens and wealth taxation. Having picked up the torch from his colleague Thomas Piketty, he is increasingly the face of a French and global movement for taxation of the tax-avoiding ultra-wealthy and multinational corporations.

We are living through a collision of overlapping crises: an increasing cost-of-living, climate change and a deepening state of political disillusionment. While these issues are often treated as isolated government failures, our next guest argues that they share a single, predatory origin: the Global Casino, commonly known as the international financial market.We were thrilled to welcome Ann Pettifor, the political economist who famously predicted the 2007/08 crash. Drawing on findings from her major works, The Case for a Green New Deal and The Global Casino, we will tell the story of the "top dogs" of finance and the "pretend-powerless" governments that gamble away at the Casino table.

Fifteen years on from the Eurozone crisis, with surging public debt, increasing climate risks, rising geopolitical tensions, and a constant need for monetary injections, the need for change in Europe has never been more obvious. But how do we get there? Is more or less integration the answer that we need?Can a monetary union survive without a fiscal one and if not, who is there to bear its cost?As the transatlantic relationship weakens and Europe navigates an increasingly multipolar world, economic questions collide with geopolitical realities. Is federalisation the price of relevance, or an unrealistic ambition in a union marked by divergent interests, asymmetric shocks, and rising euro-skepticism?To give some sense to these pressing questions, we are joined by one of the most prominent and uncompromising critics of European monetary and fiscal designs, Hans-Werner Sinn. Drawing on his role in the debates surrounding the eurozone crisis, and his opposition to key ECB policies, he will offer a candid assessment of what has changed, what has not, and what lies ahead.

Myanmar remains one of the world’s most repressive states. Political prisoners fill its jails, civil freedoms are crushed, and the military junta presses ahead with sham elections while defending itself at the International Court of Justice. What responsibilities do foreign governments and businesses realistically pursue in such a context? Who is tasked with upholding international human rights standards, and what happens when those individuals themselves become targets?Join us for a compelling conversation with Vicky Bowman, former UK Ambassador to Myanmar and Director of the now closed Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business. Drawing on her experience as a diplomat, business adviser, and former political prisoner of the junta, Bowman offers rare, firsthand insight into the real cost of defending human rights under authoritarian rule.As Myanmar faces an uncertain future with no clear path to democracy or peace, this is a timely and urgent discussion on power, accountability, and the consequences of resistance.

Without formal recognition from the Netherlands, the Palestinian Mission is forced to rely on law, institutions, and words in a political landscape where others wield hard power. These constraints shape every aspect of how Palestine is represented internationally, even amidst what the UNHRC classifies as a genocide. Together with Ambassador Ammar Hijazi (Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to International Organizations in The Hague), we explore what it means to represent Palestine today. How can legal arguments compete with political and military power? What does negotiation look like under such conditions? Where does diplomacy reach its limits? And, what will the future of Palestine look like?This interview is organized in collaboration with the Arab Student Association Amsterdam.

What does it mean to grow up in a war?On the 20th October, from 13:00 to 14:00 in the E-Hall, Room for Discussion will host Kyrylo Lapko, Head of Reintegration and International Relations at the Coordination Center for Family Upbringing and Child Care Development in Ukraine.As the war continues, thousands of Ukrainian children have been separated from their families, displaced, or abducted by Russian forces. Kyrylo Lapko works on the front line of bringing these children home and helping them rebuild their lives.In this interview, we will discuss the realities of childhood in wartime Ukraine. How are children taken, and how can they be brought back? What does recovery look like after such trauma? And what gives hope for the future of a generation growing up amid conflict?Join us for an emotional conversation about the lived experiences of Ukrainian children!

As global tensions sharpen, the world is asking whether a new great power rivalry is emerging, with China at the center of attention. Understanding its direction has never been more urgent.Join us for a focused conversation tracing the forces behind China’s rise: the legacy of the century of humiliation, Deng Xiaoping’s bold reforms, shifting Party ideology, and Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power. We will connect these turning points to the strategic choices China is making today.We also look ahead to China’s long term ambitions, its search for alternatives to the Western led international order, and the pressures it faces from trade frictions to demographic change. Join us and discover the key trends and pressures driving China’s future direction!