A Good Crisis (and how not to waste it)

“Never waste a good crisis.” The phrase is often attributed to Winston Churchill, who is said to have used it at the founding of the United Nations. The word crisis derives from the Greek verb κρίνειν, meaning “to decide.” If it is true that we make our best decisions in times of hardship, then we are indeed living in fertile times. With the new interview series A Good Crisis, presented in collaboration with Passa Porta, we bring together writers and thinkers from home and abroad to examine the state of affairs and to explore where opportunities might lie. If any can be found…

For the first edition, we welcome Sunil Amrith, historian at Yale University. He is the author of four books and the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions, including a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. The New Yorker described his most recent book, The Burning Earth, which interweaves the histories of climate and imperialism, as an “essential read.” In Brussels, he will discuss it with Geert Buelens, writer and professor at Utrecht University, who won the Boon Literature Prize for fiction and non-fiction with Wat we toen al wisten.

Tine Hens will chair the panel.

Flagey, Passa Porta