In times of crisis and collective uncertainty, accounts of how we cope develop into one-way streets and uncompromising narratives. Views and perspectives that deviate from this path appear disruptive and out of place. The result is a division into black and white, good and evil. This has been particularly evident in the Covid-19 pandemic. Opinions and positions have formed that no longer interact with each other. Ulrike Guérot has dedicated the essay “Wer schweigt, stimmt zu” [“Those Who Remain Silent, Agree”] to this phenomenon. She examines the role different opinions play for democracy, the danger posed by one-sided crisis narratives and how we want to shape politics together in the future. We talk to her about her experiences, her current assessments of the energy and war crisis and, last but not least, the prospects for a better, peaceful coexistence.
About the person
Ulrike Guérot is a political scientist and publicist. She is the founder of the Berlin-based think tank European Democracy Lab and has been Professor of European Politics at the University of Bonn since 2021. She is the author of several bestsellers, including “Why Europe Must Become a Republic” (2016) and “The New Civil War” (2017).