Hannah Arendt Institute focuses on diversity, urbanity and citizenship

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the University of Antwerp are co-founders of the Hannah Arendt Institute for Diversity, Urbanity and Citizenship. USI's Stijn Oosterlynck is one of the initiators of the Hannah Arendt Institute, together with Pieter Ballon (director imec-SMIT, VUB). The institute is an initiative of the two universities and is supported by the city of Mechelen and Bart Somers, Flemish Minister for Home Affairs, Public Governance, Civic Integration and Equal Opportunities.

The Hannah Arendt Institute addresses social challenges such as migration, diversity and socioeconomic and political deprivation, as they are most strongly expressed in an urban context, and the broad societal impact of globalisation, ecological disruption, digitisation and the pressure on human rights and democratic values. In that context, the centre wants to make a fundamental contribution to the social debate and living together in the city.

God in the welfare state

On the Hannah Arendt Academy platform, The USI research project SOLIGION (together with KU Leuven and UGent) offers an online training for local governments, social professionals and civil society organisations to better collaborate with religious or philosophically inspired solidarity initiatives. You can find the training course "God in de welvaartstaat" here.