11. apr. 2026—11. apr. 2026
Copenhagen Conversations – with Lea Ypi (AL) and Lisa Wedeen (US)
Join us for a thought-provoking afternoon on shifting political ideologies and the return of autocracy.
What does it mean to live in a time when freedom can no longer be taken for granted? When democratic ideals are under pressure and authoritarian forms of rule are once again on the rise – in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East?
Two of today’s leading political thinkers, Lea Ypi and Lisa Wedeen, meet for the first time in an open conversation on power, ideology, and the fragility of political life. The discussion will be moderated by political commentator Noa Reddington and is part of the Copenhagen Conversations series.
Two of today’s leading political thinkers, Lea Ypi and Lisa Wedeen, meet for the first time in an open conversation on power, ideology, and the fragility of political life. The discussion will be moderated by political commentator Noa Reddington and is part of the Copenhagen Conversations series.
Lea Ypi, author and Professor of Political Theory at the London School of Economics, has drawn on her own experiences from Albania to write insightfully about life under and after a socialist dictatorship. In Danish, her work has been published in Free and most recently in Unworthy, released in January 2026. Her research and writing revolve around freedom, dignity, and the human consequences of totalitarian regimes and sudden ideological shifts.
Lisa Wedeen, Professor at the University of Chicago and a leading scholar in the study of authoritarian states, has for many years explored how power operates in practice — from humor and conspiracy theories to everyday life under repression in countries such as Syria and Yemen.
Together, Ypi and Wedeen invite the audience to think along with them: Which historical experiences are worth taking seriously today? And how can we understand — and act in — a world marked by political upheaval?
Copenhagen Conversations is presented by the National Museum of Denmark in collaboration with the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies at the University of Copenhagen.
About the speakers
Lea Ypi
The Albanian philosopher and political thinker Lea Ypi has, through her books on life in Albania before, during, and after the socialist dictatorship, brought sharp focus to fundamental questions of human freedom. Her work explores and rethinks life under shifting ideologies and how subsequent generations live with the consequences of such transformations.
Questions of freedom — but also of dignity, and the lack of it — help us understand both the mobilization for political action and the obstacles and challenges that political ideologies create. Ypi is a prominent public intellectual and a central voice in both academic and public debates on democracy. She is Professor of Political Theory at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
About the speakers
Lisa Wedeen
The leading American political theorist Lisa Wedeen focuses in her work on political ideologies and authoritarian states, examining the different ways in which power operates. She has explored in depth the role of humor in dark times, the dynamics of conspiracy theories, and the challenges faced by democratic ideals when power constrains and suffocates the space for political reflection and action.
Wedeen has conducted extensive research on Syria and Yemen, and her scholarship is characterized by strong theoretical depth combined with ethnographic and qualitative approaches to the study of political life. She is Professor at the University of Chicago, where she also serves as Director of The Chicago Center for Contemporary Theory.
Practical information
Language: The conversation will be held in English.
Date: 12 April, 4:00–6:00 PM
Venue: The National Museum of Denmark
Price: Standard ticket DKK 225. Annual Pass holders DKK 195. The ticket also includes admission to the museum on the same day between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.About the event: Copenhagen Conversations is a conversation series featuring leading international scholars who, drawing on cultural history and contemporary issues, reflect on how we can understand and navigate life in our time. The series is created in collaboration between the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies (University of Copenhagen) and the National Museum of Denmark.