Freiheit als Grundrecht: Zwischen Schutz und Streit

Freedom of speech, artistic freedom, academic freedom, freedom of the press—many freedoms are guaranteed by law, yet still under pressure. Polarized public debates renegotiate where freedom ends and regulation begins. This event explores why these freedoms in particular stand as the pillars of liberal democracy, what makes their defense such a complicated endeavor—and the tensions that arise when they are challenged by digital communication, political instrumentalization, or social change.

A discussion between:

• Prof. Dr. Eva Geulen (ZfL)
• Prof. Dr. Dorothea Gädeke (Freie Universität Berlin / SCRIPTS)
• Steffen Grimberg (DJV Berlin, KNA Mediendienst)
• Moderation: Gesa Ufer

This event is a cooperation between the cluster of excellence Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS) with the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Centre for East European and International Studies, and the ZfL as part of the Berlin Science Week.

On the series “Umkämpfte Freiheit(en)” (“Contested Freedom(s)”)

Freedom is the key promise of liberal societies—and, at the same time, a constantly renegotiated, contested concept at the center of political discussions, moral dilemmas, and social negotiation processes. The event series Umkämpfte Freiheit(en) organized by the cluster of excellence Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS) adapts different perspectives to address the tensions between individual and collective claims to freedom, legal protection, and social responsibility.

Its three events at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the ZOiS, and the ZfL explore how freedom is envisioned, designed, and threatened—and what role it plays in the resilience of democratic societies.