38 upcoming lectures events
Public Problematisations of AI
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
A panel of researchers discusses how AI's role in society is publicly problematised and explores imagining alternative futures for living with AI.
Shaping Real Lives into Narratives: Heather Clark on Truth and Fiction
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
Shaping Real Lives into Narratives: Heather Clark on Truth and Fiction at Spui25 in Amsterdam probes how biography balances fact and imagination, and what writers must navigate when weaving history and story.
Rusland. Een strijd tegen moderniteit
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
Renowned Russian historian Alexander Etkind discusses his book Russia. Een strijd tegen moderniteit, analyzing the regime and the drivers of war, in conversation with Peter van Dam, moderated by Simone Peek, at Spui25 in Amsterdam.
Confronting Genocide Denial: What can we do?
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
A thought-provoking lecture at Spui25 addressing why genocide denial persists, how it manifests, and effective ways to challenge it in public memory and discourse. Experts will examine mechanisms by which atrocities are minimized and discuss strategies for counter-narratives in society and policy.
Feestelijke aftrap van de Boekenweek 2026
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
Kick off Boekenweek 2026 with a festive live edition of the Literaire Letterenshow podcast, featuring guests including Dean Bowen and Babs Schutte, plus tributes to favorite books.
The ‘Elite’ as Delicate Beast
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
A thought-provoking lecture at Spui25 in Amsterdam, examining how the term 'elite' is deployed in debates about justice, democracy, and inequality. It traces distinctions among intellectual, colonial, nouveau riche and postcolonial elites and challenges the idea of a single 'elit
The New Women of the Right: How the Far Right Has Waged the Gender War in France
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
The New Women of the Right: How the Far Right Has Waged the Gender War in France takes the Voltaire lecture at Spui25 in Amsterdam as a lens to examine how female leaders, media strategies, and gender politics reshape European politics.
Autisme. Een biografie
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
In Spui25 Amsterdam, author and literary scholar Niels Springveld discusses Autism. Een biografie, tracing autism’s history and its evolving portrayal in culture, in a live conversation about diagnosis, identity and storytelling.
Uitreiking Socratesbeker 2026
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 21:00
Spui25
An award ceremony for the Socrates Cup 2026 at Spui25 in Amsterdam, featuring interviews with the nominees of the Dutch philosophy book of the year and the final winner announcement.
De onzekerheidsepidemie
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
A provocative lecture at Spui25 examining how AI, weather data, and geopolitical shifts seed uncertainty in everyday life. The talk probes how sensors, cameras, and dashboards shape our trust—and our choices—in a world where tech and politics intertwine.
Zondagskinderen – Europeanen, oorlog en vrede
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
Caroline de Gruyter, NRC Handelsblad's Europe correspondent, discusses her book Zondagskinderen and how Europe came to take peace for granted, even as new geopolitical tensions mount. In this Amsterdam lecture at Spui25, she analyzes the fragility of peace and what it means for Europe today.
Het ontstaan van taal
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
Evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman presents a radical theory that human language arose from shared childcare rather than hunting or tool-making.
Activisme en solidariteit in de queergemeenschap in de jaren zeventig en tachtig
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
A compelling lecture tracing 1970s–80s queer activism in the Netherlands, from COC to feminist collectives and unions, born amid exclusion and HIV/AIDS, and built on fierce solidarity—at Spui25 in Amsterdam.
Sudan in Context: Islamic Modernity & Sufism
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
Join a scholarly dialogue on Mahmud Muhammad Taha, the Sudanese thinker who linked Sufism to Islamic reform. Scholars explore his Second Message of Islam and its relevance to contemporary Sudan, with a panel and a keynote discussion at Spui25 in Amsterdam.
Young Men, Masculinity, and Democracy: Challenges and Pathways Forward
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
A multidisciplinary roundtable at Spui25 in Amsterdam exploring how masculinity, gender equality, and democratic engagement shape young men's political attitudes across Europe. The session brings together researchers, practitioners, and an artistic intervention to examine pathways toward a more caring democracy.
‘Beyond Sanctuary’ with Ananya Roy and Veronika Zablotsky
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
Scholars Ananya Roy and Veronika Zablotsky discuss migration, abolitionist and decolonial imaginaries, and their book in a dialogue at Spui25 in Amsterdam.
Synthetic Genders: How Generative AI Reimagines Gender in Visual Culture
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Three talks at the University of Amsterdam explore how Generative AI reshapes gender in visual culture, examining gendered art-historical styles, AI analyses of gender in visual art and film.
On Failure: Error and Defeat in the Arts of the Dutch Republic
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
This scholarly lecture at Spui25 rethinks failure and defeat in the arts of the Dutch Republic, questioning the 'golden age' narrative and Amsterdam Museum's 2019 shift. It explores risk, bankruptcy, crises, and disaster as shaping forces in early modern art history.
Sakura: The Flowering of Cherry Blossoms
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
Sakura: The Flowering of Cherry Blossoms at Spui25 in Amsterdam traces the blossom's history—from Collingwood 'Cherry' Ingram to Japan's iconic spring—through Naoko Abe's engaging history lecture.
A Slippery Slope: ICE and the normalization of harm
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
A compelling lecture at Spui25 in Amsterdam examining how ICE raids and anti-immigrant narratives normalize harm. The talk traces historical roots, analyzes policy implications, and invites reflection on resistance and more humane approaches to migration.
Cloud Capitalism
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Devika Narayan discusses the political economy of cloud computing and leads a debate on how tech platforms shape contemporary capitalism.
Wonen, wonen, wonen
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
A lecture examining the Dutch housing crisis: why social housing has shrunk, how youth access to homes has changed, and the tensions between housing associations and tenants.
The Languages of Opera: No Problem?
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
University of Amsterdam (UvA)
Scholarly discussion at the University of Amsterdam on how opera communicates across languages and whether music can be a universal language, and what that implies for accessibility.
Een avond met Gisèle Pelicot
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
Join Gisèle Pelicot for an intimate evening at Spui25 in Amsterdam as she shares insights from her book Ode aan het leven and argues for shifting how shame is handled in everyday life. Expect a thoughtful, empowering lecture that blends personal experience with universal themes of resilience. An engaging event for adults seeking meaningful reflection.
Solidariteit, een kleine filosofie
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
René ten Bos explores how solidarity evolves from a revolutionary idea to a familiar moral cliché, blending philosophy, literature, and imagination. At Spui25 in Amsterdam, the talk questions where true solidarity lies—beyond rules and policy—within our shared vulnerability.
The Weight of the Wild
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
Screening of the short documentary The Weight of the Wild, followed by a conversation on translating lived ecological change into policy and institutional context.
Smooth Amsterdam
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
An insightful lecture at Spui25 exploring how modern city life is curated into a consumable aesthetic. Through René Boer's ideas, the talk examines how Amsterdam's neighborhoods, cafés and vintage stores shape identities in the age of digital culture.
Tussen markt en volk: gemeenschappen en zingeving in een neoliberale wereld
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
A thought-provoking lecture at Spui25 examines how populist revolts are reshaping a new world order in neoliberal times. It investigates where social unease comes from and what the 'new' order may mean for communities and meaning.
De limes als legende
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 22:00
Spui25
A thought-provoking lecture reimagining the limes as the legendary North European frontier—how Danube and Rhine mapped power, fame, and freedom across the early modern landscape, told with vivid case studies.
Het beste wat je met je geld kunt doen
Wed, 27 May 2026 at 19:00
Spui25
Bucketlist filosofie: Val Plumwood
Mon, 8 Jun 2026 at 22:00
De Rode Hoed
Join a lecture exploring the life and ecofeminist philosophy of Australian thinker Val Plumwood at De Rode Hoed in Amsterdam on June 8, 2026.
Uitreiking Brusseprijs 2026
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 at 23:30
De Rode Hoed
An elegant awards ceremony announcing the Brusseprijs winner for the best Dutch-language journalistic book. Held at De Rode Hoed in Amsterdam, the festive evening celebrates investigative journalism and literary excellence as the prize is awarded.
Colson Whitehead - Writing America
Thu, 2 Jul 2026 at 21:30
De Rode Hoed
Colson Whitehead brings Writing America to De Rode Hoed in Amsterdam, tracing Harlem to the heart of the American story. An intimate, thought-provoking lecture on narrative craft, race, and memory by the Pulitzer Prize winner.
A Field Trip to the Cosmos
Sat, 4 Jul 2026 at 15:00
Paradiso
A field trip to the cosmos at Paradiso, inviting curious minds and daydreamers to explore space in an engaging, educational format.
Freek Vonk Live
Mon, 21 Dec 2026
AFAS Live
Freek Vonk Live at AFAS Live turns a lecture into a living science show, with roaring wildlife clips fearless zoology insights, and an amused astonished Amsterdam crowd.
Michael Pollan in Amsterdam: A World Appears
Wed, 24 Mar 2027 at 20:30
On Location: Rode Hoed, Keizersgracht 102, Amsterdam
John Adams Institute and Rode Hoed host Michael Pollan in Amsterdam for an evening discussion around his forthcoming book A World Appears. Pollan argues that mind and nature are inseparable, offering a thoughtful blend of science, philosophy, and personal reflection.
De symfonie van onvrede: de opmars van radicaal-rechts in Europa
Fri, 12 Mar 2027 at 21:00
Spui25
An intimate, analytical lecture tracing the rise of radical-right politics in Europe, weaving Catherine de Vries’ family history with years of research to show how societal shifts—from Dutch countryside to Southern Italy—fuel discontent and strategy.
De Republiek
Tue, 2 Mar 2027 at 15:00
De Balie
De Balie hosts the debate 'De Republiek', exploring the necessity of free, public debate in modern democracy. A sharp, policy-minded discussion in an intimate cultural venue in Amsterdam, inviting thinkers to challenge and defend public discourse.