In her lecture, Silke Schwandt examines the interplay between digital humanities and the field of history, advocating for a data-driven approach to historical narrative construction. While acknowledging the advantages of quantifiable data in elucidating historical patterns, Schwandt insists that it is imperative for historians to critically assess both the collection and interpretation of such data.

She draws on the work of Peter Turchin, particularly his book “Figuring Out the Past,” to illustrate how numerical data can inform our understanding of historical events, yet warns against the potential biases that data can introduce into historical discourse. Schwandt also engages with the challenge of integrating qualitative insights with quantitative analysis, arguing for a balanced approach that retains the depth of historical narratives while utilizing the precision of data analysis.

Furthermore, she emphasizes the role of visualizations in shaping historical understanding and the necessity for historians to remain vigilant regarding the tools and methodologies they employ. Ultimately, Schwandt posits that while data can effectively narrate stories about the past, historians must approach it with a critical lens that recognizes its limitations and the complexities of historical interpretation.

Dr. Silke Schwandt is a recognized figure in the field of digital humanities, focusing on the transformative impact of data in historical research. Her contributions highlight the essential dialogue between quantitative methods and qualitative understanding in the ongoing evolution of historical scholarship.

The current populist right-wing government in Italy is pushing for a constitutional reform aimed at introducing direct popular election of the prime minister, aligning the majority of MPs with the executive branch. Despite this proposal being in line with current populist tendencies, Lorenzo Spadacini’s lecture will illustrate that it is rooted in much older constitutional schemes. The Acerbo Law of 1923, promoted by Mussolini, followed a similar pattern, and comparable schemes have been reiterated over time, even during the republican period, as can be seen in the so-called Fraud Law of 1953, the law for municipalities of 1993, and the constitutional law for regions of 1999. Moreover, reform proposals similar to those advocated by the political right nowadays have been supported in the past by the centre and the left. In essence, the constitutional populism currently expressed by the right is more widely spread in Italian political culture and persists over time, arguably due to the weak liberal tradition of the country’s political system.

Prof. Lorenzo Spadacini is an esteemed Associate Professor at the University of Brescia, specializing in Italian and European constitutional law. He holds a PhD from the University of Verona and a Law degree from the University of Brescia. Prof. Spadacini has served as a Visiting Scholar at Cornell University Law School and held the position of Head of the Department for Institutional Reforms at the Office of the Prime Minister of Italy. His research focuses on democratic representation, electoral systems, and regional autonomy. Notable works include the monograph Decreto-legge e alterazione del quadro costituzionale (2022).

The event was organized in cooperation with Dr. Fabian Michl, Assistant Professor for Public Law and the Law of Politics at the Faculty of Law, Leipzig University.

This lecture discusses changes in the U.S. national strategy to prevent and counter extremist violence, including an embrace of public health style approaches to prevention. Dr. Miller-Idriss also reviews recent trends in U.S. political and hate-fueled violence and shares an emerging evidence base about the effectiveness of two core interventions: short form “prebunking” videos and community-based capacity building with parents, caregivers, youth mentors, faith leaders, mental health professionals, and educators. She also highlights key areas of transatlantic dialogue and cooperation about promising practices in each country.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss is an award-winning author and scholar of extremism and radicalization. She is the founding director of the Polarization and Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) at the American University in Washington, DC, where she is also a Professor in the School of Public Affairs and in the School of Education. Dr. Miller-Idriss regularly testifies before the U.S. Congress or briefs policy, security, education and intelligence agencies in the U.S., the United Nations, and other countries on trends in domestic violent extremism and strategies for prevention and disengagement. She serves on the international advisory board of the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX) in Oslo, Norway and is a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)’s Tracking Hate and Extremism Advisory Committee.

This GlobeLecture was organized with Oliver Decker and the Else-Frenkel-Brunswik-Institute for Democracy in Saxony

Recorded on 3 November 2023

You can find the video recording of the lecture here