Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch

<p>For many politicians and policy experts, ‘peace’ is a poorly defened word that has many meanings in different contexts. With this in mind, the Perpetual Peace Project brings various disciplines and communities together to explore 21st century international priorities and prospects for reducing geopolitical conflict. Organized around Immanuel Kant’s foundational essay ‘Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch’ (1795), the project ends its public form with a series of initiatives including symposia, exhibitions, a film, and this blank book that has been designed with your participation in mind. Kant’s text takes the form of an international treaty exploring the possibility of permanent peace and serves as the starting point for these considerations.</p> <p>Historically, ‘Perpetual Peace’ inspired democratic peace theory and anticipated multilateral and supranational institutions such as the original League of Nations, as well as today’s United Nations and European Union — both partners in this project. In light of this legacy, the Perpetual Peace Project seeks to promote contemporary discourse with leading theorists and practitioners in cultural institutions, governmental halls, and the public sphere, without planning where these conversations lead.</p>