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“We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Land of the free, home of the brave.” The closing lines of the U.S. national anthem have become a national refrain—invoked by presidents, citizens, critics, and admirers alike. What does freedom actually mean in the American context both historically and in the present? Who gets to claim it?
In this evening of four compelling talks, presented in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) at the end of May—the month in which freedom is traditional reflected on in the Netherlands—we take a critical look at freedom in all its complexity. Freedom for whom, and from what? How has the idea been shaped, and how is it contested today?
Loosely inspired by the “Four Freedoms” articulated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union address—freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear—our speakers will explore the historical roots and contemporary realities of these ideals. Each freedom asks urgent questions about justice, belonging, power and vulnerability. Together, we’ll unpack the mythologies and contradictions behind what has become one of America’s most vaunted values, and consider what freedom means beyond slogans both in the United States and in Europe, on the ground, in daily life, and across shifting political landscapes.
For example, the U.S. puts fewer limits on speech than Europe—but does that make it freer, or just less cautious? Are we protecting liberty or overreaching in Europe? And when religion shapes policy, as in the U.S., is that freedom or a threat to it? Even in academia, new word bans in classrooms and on articles raise the question: whose freedom are we really defending and at what cost?
Program information (final speaker to be announced shortly)
Philip Gorski
Philip Gorski is a sociologist at Yale University known for his work on civil religion and democracy, including The Flag and the Cross, which explores Christian nationalism in America. His research examines how religious narratives shape conceptions of freedom and national identity. He is a current fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS).
Kim Wehle
Kim Wehle is a law professor at the University of Baltimore, former U.S. attorney, and author of How to Read the Constitution—and Why. Wehle is a prominent voice on constitutional literacy and how legal structures protect—or endanger—freedom in democratic societies. She is a visiting US Fulbright Scholar and Thinker-in-Residence at the John Adams Institute.
Clarice Gargard
Clarice Gargard is a Dutch journalist, documentary filmmaker, and founder of feminist platform Lilith, known for her advocacy on digital freedom and social justice. She served as the Netherlands’ UN Women Representative in 2019, emphasizing inclusive freedom and the protection of marginalized voices. She is the author of the forthcoming book, From Resistance to (R)evolution.