Eva Illouz

This lecture focuses on an emotion that remains particularly controversial in Germany: guilt. In her talk, Eva Illouz examines the cultural and historical processes through which guilt has become a defining emotion in the self-understanding of liberal democracies since the 1980s. Exploring its moral, political, and social dimensions, she asks how guilt shapes democratic cultures and public life. Is guilt a productive force that fosters responsibility, solidarity, and historical awareness, or can it become a burden that constrains political action and democratic debate?

Eva Illouz is Professor of Sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Directrice d’Études at the EHESS in Paris. Her research and teaching explore emotions, capitalism, culture, communication, and the cultural dynamics at the intersections of these fields. She has received numerous international distinctions, including the EMET Prize in Sociology (2018), the French Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (2018), and the Aby Warburg Prize (2024).

Language: English

In the series“And Now? – How Germany andEuropeCan Remain Capable of Action”
Germany and Europe face major challenges—but every crisis also opens up opportunities for renewal.
Under the title “And Now?”, this series gives a voice to renowned experts from the fields of politics, academia, journalism, and economics. They analyze the causes of the current crises while also outlining concrete prospects: for a sustainable economy, a resilient democracy, a realistic European policy, and a state that protects both security and freedom in equal measure.