DHAKA : North South University’s (NSU) School of
Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) hosted a webinar titled “An Emotional
Reading of Europe” on 8th September as part of the SHSS
Distinguished Webinar Series.
The keynote speaker of the webinar was Prof. Nathalie
Tocci, Professor of the Practice at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced
International Studies. The webinar was chaired by Prof. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury,
Vice Chancellor of North South University. Introductory remarks were presented
by Prof. Rizwanul Islam, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science,
while Mrittika Anan Rahman, Lecturer in the Department of Media, Communication
and Journalism, served as the moderator.
The Keynote speaker, Prof. Nathalie Tocci, discussed how
mainstream European politicians often try to keep domestic policy unemotional,
a stance largely shaped by the historical misuse of political emotion during
the Nazi era. However, Prof. Tocci noted that European foreign policy remains
highly subjective on the global stage. She pointed out that while European
countries quickly sanctioned Russia over atrocities in Ukraine, they have not
applied similar measures to Israel regarding Gaza, showing how strategic
alliances and political relationships often dictate Europe’s emotional and
policy responses to humanitarian crises.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Rizwanul Islam pointed to an underlying emotional element in European foreign policy and governance, which he described as a mixed force. During the session, the keynote speaker, Prof. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, emphasized the importance of this topic in today’s global landscape, noting that rising geopolitical polarization and conflicts make such dialogues increasingly vital. He also thanked Prof. Tocci for her valuable insights and contributions. The session ended with a Q&A segment featuring questions from students, faculty, and researchers. The organizers expressed their commitment to hosting more academic events like this in the future.
