Künstlerdorf Schöppingen is deeply shocked by the recent escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine. The suffering of the civilian population in Israel, Gaza and the other Palestinian territories is unbearable, the return of the hostages and an end to the violence must be the most urgent goal.

At the same time, we are noticing an increasing polemicization and polarization of public discourse. The dehumanization that accompanies this radicalization worries us deeply. There must be more than two sides to this conflict for a critical debate. The arts in particular must be preserved as spaces for dialog and subtle nuances. The Künstlerdorf Schöppingen stands for respectful coexistence in international dialog. Anti-Semitic, anti-Islamic, anti-Palestinian and any xenophobic attitudes are not compatible with this view. We speak out against the instrumentalization of the conflict and in favour of open and peaceful coexistence.
We are therefore taking the escalating conflict as an opportunity for a special event. We invite you to join us for a discussion of the essay „Against Hate“ by Carolin Emcke. It warns that the vision of an open society requires „close observation, constant differentiation and self-doubt“ (Carolin Emcke).

Carolin Emcke, one of today’s most important intellectuals, expresses her views on the major issues of our time in her committed essay „Against Hate“: racism, fanaticism, anti-democracy. In an increasingly polarized, fragmented public sphere, the dominant way of thinking is one that only allows doubts about the positions of others, but not about one’s own. Carolin Emcke counters this dogmatic thinking, which takes no account of shades of opinion, with praise for the polyphonic, the „impure“ – because this is the way to protect the freedom of the individual and also dissent. Only with the courage to contradict hatred and the desire to endure and negotiate plurality can democracy be realized. Only in this way can we successfully counter the religious and nationalist fanatics, because differentiation and precision are what they reject the most.
For all those who are looking for convincing arguments and food for thought to defend a humanistic attitude and an open society.

Publisher: FISCHER Paperback, 2018

 
Reading rights by courtesy of S. Fischer Verlag GmbH, Frankfurt am Main