Our Reading Circle is back in session in September!
We are looking forward to revisit and continue the discussions we had before the summer!
 
Together with our friends from the Institute for Law and Governance we will now focus on Chapter 4 of Wendy Brown’s (2019) “In the Ruins of Neoliberalism” and discuss her work on “Socioeconomics and Law.” 
 
As we have informed you, these meetings serve as preparatory events for an upcoming international conference, titled “ Socioeconomics and law – The conditions of the authoritarian turn yesterday and today” that is set to take place in Vienna in the spring of 2027. Thus, we aim to engage in discussions about alternatives to the current radicalization of neoliberal thought, particularly its alignment with non-democratic and non-liberal political and legal ideologies. A topic that has been getting a lot of attention, especially, but not only in the last months.

Again we would like to suggest this introductory text by  Andreas Novy highlighting the role of markets and morals in Hayek’s work and the relevance of Brown’s analysis of this interconnection for current events: Novy (2025) Markets and Morals: The Reactionary Right’s Ideological Core.

The sessions will take place at Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) in Building D4, room D4.3.106. on the following dates from 5pm – 7pm CEST:
 

• Tue, September 16^th, 2025, 5pm-7pm (chapter 4)

• Thu, October 2^nd, 2025, 5pm-7pm (chapter 5)

 
To enable international participation there is also the possibility to participate in a hybrid mode, just sign up via e-mail to isset@wu.ac.at
 
Please open the link in a browser (Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended) instead of the MS Teams app. You might be asked to “join as guest” (“als Gast teilnehmen”) and to enter your name.

We are looking forward to your participation and to an exciting exchange!
Andreas Novy and Verena Madner