Internationally renowned for his work on participatory democracy and colonial history, David Van Reybrouck has recently focused on ecological questions and the climate crisis. In his latest book, “The World and the Earth”, 2025, he advocates for a form of planetary thinking that shifts the perspective from nation states to the Earth as a whole.
Arguing that global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss can no longer be addressed by nation states alone, he calls for a new “raison de terre” and a form of planetary diplomacy capable of responding to challenges that affect humanity collectively.
David Van Reybrouck will be joined by Simon Schaupp, German sociologist and Research Professor at KU Leuven. Schaupp's work examines the relationship between labour, production and ecological transformation, asking how the transition to a sustainable society can be organised in ways that are both socially just and democratically accountable.
Bringing together perspectives from political thought, sociology and environmental debate, the conversation will explore what democratic renewal could look like in an age of planetary crises. The discussion will be moderated by Belgian journalist Nicky Aerts.
The conversation will be accompanied by a scenic reading based on a stage adaptation of David Van Reybrouck's novel Zinc (2016). The novel traces the turbulent history of Neutral Moresnet, a small zinc-rich territory in present-day East Belgium whose inhabitants saw their nationality repeatedly change as borders shifted around them.
By linking personal biography with European history, Zinc explores how struggles over natural resources, political power, and economic interests leave their mark on individual lives. Produced in cooperation with the Théâtre de Liège, the reading is inspired by a stage adaptation of Zinc by the Dublin-based theatre company Dead Centre, and will feature Cathy Min Jung, Julie Mughunda, and Fabio Godinho.
Banner image - ZINC © Alexandre Fytrakis
