Beatrice de Graaf to deliver the 53rd Huizinga Lecture
On Thursday, December 12, 2024, historian and terrorism expert Beatrice de Graaf will deliver the 53rd Huizinga Lecture at the Stadsgehoorzaal in Leiden. Under the title "We Are the Times: History in Times of Crisis", De Graaf will explore how history is used during crises to give meaning to the times. Please note that this Lecture is in Dutch.
We Are the Times: History in Times of Crisis
Why do people enjoy listening to historical narratives so much, and why do they still need history? This question has been the subject of much philosophical thought, including by the historian Johan Huizinga himself. In this lecture, De Graaf will show how history is used during crises by leaders, activists, citizens, and educators to give meaning to the times. However, this doesn't always go well. Sometimes historical analogies miss the mark entirely. People may incite a sense of doom, indulging in narratives of decline and decay. Or, they may try to trap others in rigid identity categories with their historical accounts. Drawing on Huizinga, who himself experienced times of threat, decline, and loss, De Graaf questions how history can—and cannot—serve as an anchor in times of crisis.
About the speaker
Beatrice de Graaf (1976) is a Distinguished Professor and holds the Chair of History of International Relations at Utrecht University. For her monograph Fighting Terror (Prometheus/Cambridge University Press), she received the 2022 Arenberg Prize for the Best Book in European History. In 2018, she was awarded the Stevin Prize, the highest scientific honor in the Netherlands. She has been a visiting fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, Cambridge/St. Catherine’s College (2016, and again in 2024/2025), and is a fellow at CASSIS, University of Bonn. De Graaf is also an editor for the Journal of Modern European History and the journal Terrorism and Political Violence. She leads the Adapt! consortium, which researches crisis from a historical perspective (Zwaartekracht project), and the Security History Network (Utrecht). Her research focuses on security, crisis, terrorism, and conflict from a historical perspective, and she is also a popular media commentator. She writes columns for NRC Handelsblad and Historisch Nieuwsblad. Additionally, she translates her insights into practical applications, such as the TerInfo platform, which assists teachers in addressing disruptive events in the classroom.
Practical information
The lecture will take place on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at the Stadsgehoorzaal in Leiden. Please note that the lecture is in Dutch.
The doors will open at 7:15 PM, and the lecture will begin at 8:00 PM. Attendees will receive a book with the lecture text and a drink afterward. Tickets can be ordered via the link below.
Ticket prices: € 28.00* (gold section) / € 23.00* (1st section) / € 18.00* (2nd section).
Students/CJP pass holders receive a € 5.00 discount per section: € 23.00* (gold section) / € 18.00* (1st section) / € 13.00* (2nd section) (valid LU card/CJP card required at the venue).
*excl. administration fees
Meer informatie
For questions about the lecture, contact Mrs. Sanderien de Jong, secretary of the Huizinga Committee.
A full overview of all Huizinga Lectures from the past 52 years can be found here.
