When the State Threatens Science – the Examples of the USA and Eastern Europe

Online-Discussion 
Political influence by authoritarian governments poses a serious threat to science. In such systems, research is often exploited, censored, or politically controlled. In the United States, this is a new phenomenon that began with Donald Trump's inauguration in 2025; since then, research topics have been restricted, universities have been muzzled, international cooperation has been prevented, and government funding has been threatened in the face of a looming “scientific Polexit.” In Hungary, the reorganization of the Hungarian research network HUN-REN in 2025 continues the dismantling of the sciences that has been ongoing since 2019, which at the time also led to the relocation of the Central European University from Budapest to Vienna.

This event is part of the online series "Wissenschaft unter Druck: Skepsis, Anfeindung, Stärkung". Please note that this discussion on September 29 will be held in English.

The Speakers: 
Daniel Ziblatt, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, Harvard University and Director of the research department Transformations of Democracy at WZB Berlin Social Science Center
Kriszta Kovács, Research Fellow of the Research Professorship Global Constitutionalism at WZB Berlin Social Science Center

The discussion will be hosted by Shelly Kupferberg.