Portrait
For a cosmopolitan and pluralistic society
Born in Istanbul, Seyla Benhabib holds dual Turkish and American citizenship. She is a philosopher, essayist and professor of political science and philosophy. She currently teaches at Yale University (USA), where she heads the Programme on Ethics, Politics and Economics. She has also taught at Columbia University and Harvard University and held several prestigious professorships in Europe and the United States. She holds honorary doctorates from Utrecht University, the University of Valencia (Spain), Istanbul University, Georgetown University and Geneva University.
Professor Benhabib supports a theory of democracy based on a cosmopolitan vision of society. For her, cultures are not monolithic but formed in conversation with other cultures. She also advocates pluralism, and identifies three conditions for the coexistence of pluralism and cosmopolitanism: egalitarian reciprocity (members of minorities must have the same civic, political, economic and cultural rights as the majority), voluntary assent (when a person is born, he or she must not automatically be considered as belonging to a religion or culture) and freedom of exit and association (every individual must be able to leave his or her group).
Professor Benhabib is deeply concerned with the issue of migrants. Her views in this area are inspired by Kant’s duty of hospitality, and thus emphasise offering protection to refugees and exiles alike. However, she believes that the self-determination of political communities requires limits. A democracy without borders is not possible, which is why she champions the idea of a world with porous borders.
Professor Benhabib is also a committed feminist.
Seyla Benhabib will be introduced by Professors Wim Decock (Faculty of Law and Criminology, UCLouvain) and Bart Raymaekers ("2025" advisor to the Rector of the KU Leuven).
Meet Seyla Benhabib
Last minute: As Seyla Benhabib is unable to travel to Belgium for reasons beyond her control, the meetings planned with her have been postponed until May.
- The academic seminar "Globos, demos, cosmos - Cosmopolitanism in Transformation", organised by UCLouvain, will be held in Louvain-la-Neuve on Tuesday 14 May from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm. Information and registration: jean.demunck@uclouvain.be
- The conference "Cosmopolitanism reconsidered", organised by Ethics KU Leuven, will take place in Louvain on Wednesday 15 May, from 4pm to 5.30pm. Open to all, no registration required. Information
Seyla Benhabib will, however, take part remotely in the official ceremony.