The lecture, grounded in his broader work on crisis analysis, centered on the so-called "refugee crisis," which Prof. Gephart framed as a crisis not merely of displaced populations but of society itself. Opening with an acknowledgment of the invitation, Prof. Gephart swiftly directed attention to the ethical and political dilemmas surrounding migration in contemporary Europe and beyond.
He emphasized that migration challenges the foundational question of social order: How do we want to live together? In doing so, he contrasted universalistic, cosmopolitan ideals—such as the right to free movement—with the particularistic-nationalist turn seen in many Western countries. This tension, according to Gephart, highlights an aporia in modern nationalism: the contradiction between state sovereignty and universal human rights.
Further, Prof. Gephart elaborated on the interconnectedness of crises—what he terms “polycrises” or “metacrises”—linking migration not only to national politics but also to economic pressures, climate change, legal frameworks, and global security. His analysis drew on current examples, including controversial policy proposals from German political figures such as Friedrich Merz, which reflect a rightward shift in political discourse that risks normalizing xenophobia and undermining international legal commitments.
Drawing from research at the Émile-Durkheim Research Unit, Prof. Gephart presented the refugee crisis as a central site where the fractures of the post-war liberal international order have become increasingly visible. He argued that migration is not simply a demographic or logistical issue but a lens through which we can understand the broader transformation—and potential disintegration—of the normative foundations of democratic and legal institutions in the post-global era.
The lecture concluded with a critical reflection on the fragility of international law and the rise of a multipolar world order shaped less by human rights than by geopolitical interests. Students responded with insightful and challenging questions, probing the implications of Prof. Gephart’s framework for the future of European integration, global solidarity, and the prospects for a more just world.
This intellectually rich and timely event provided participants with a critical lens through which to understand migration, not as a standalone crisis, but as a complex, multifaceted phenomenon situated at the heart of contemporary social transformations.