The prevailing ideology in Europe today cannot provide a foundation for the survival of European civilization — this was the central message delivered by David Engels, author of the book “Defending Europe as a Civilization.”
Engels, a Belgian historian, philosopher, and former head of the Department of Roman History at the University of Brussels, gave a lecture at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Banja Luka on the topic “Ideology and Politics in Contemporary Europe.” The event was organized by the Center for Socio-Political Research of Republika Srpska, in cooperation with the Faculty, to mark the publication and promotion of the Serb edition of Engels’ book.
A nation that loses its identity ceases to exist, Engels emphasized — yet he believes there is still hope for Europe’s recovery.
“There is hope because more and more people are realizing that the current European ideology — based on nihilism and relativism — cannot provide what European civilization needs to survive,” Engels said.
He stressed the necessity of returning to traditional principles and overcoming the identity crisis that has gripped modern Europe.
“David Engels is one of the most important contemporary philosophers and researchers offering a different image and a new perspective on Europe — on what it once was and what it could become in the future,” said Vlade Simović from the Faculty of Political Sciences.
Dušan Pavlović, director of the Center for Socio-Political Research of Republika Srpska, described Engels as one of the most respected experts on the future of Western Europe, particularly as a civilization.
“He speaks about the current state of Western Europe, the causes of its crisis, and what he sees as possible long-term solutions,” Pavlović noted.
According to Engels, the way out of the profound Western European crisis lies in a return to the authentic, centuries-old practices and virtues of European society as a whole — a guiding idea at the core of his book.
Source: RTRS
