Using History to Reimagine Our Collective Future — Roman Krznaric

The Weekend University

Roman Krznaric is a social philosopher and bestselling author whose books have been published in more than 25 languages. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University’s Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing and the founder of the world’s first Empathy Museum. His latest book, History for Tomorrow, explores how we can use historical lessons to confront today’s biggest challenges. Expect to learn: — The concept of "history from below" and why moving away from the “great men” narrative matters. — How 17th and 18th-century coffee houses offer a model for taming social media’s negative effects. — Insights into temporal intelligence and why long-term thinking is vital for our future. — The hidden history of the “radical flank” and how this has helped to create large scale societal breakthroughs. And more. You can learn more about Roman’s work at https://www.romankrznaric.com. --- Roman Krznaric is a social philosopher who writes about the power of ideas to create change. His internationally bestselling books including The Good Ancestor, Empathy, The Wonderbox and Carpe Diem Regained, have been published in more than 25 languages. He is Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University’s Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing and founder of the world’s first Empathy Museum. His latest book, published in July 2024, is History for Tomorrow: Inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity. After growing up in Sydney and Hong Kong, Roman studied at the universities of Oxford, London and Essex, where he gained his PhD in political science. Particularly known for his work on empathy and long-term thinking, his writings have been widely influential amongst political and ecological campaigners, education reformers, social entrepreneurs and designers. An acclaimed public speaker, his talks and workshops have taken him from a London prison to the TED global stage. Roman is a member of the Club of Rome and a Research Fellow of the Long Now Foundation. He previously worked as an academic, a gardener, a conversation activist and on human rights issues in Guatemala – the subject of his book What the Rich Don’t Tell the Poor. He is also a fanatical player of the medieval sport of real tennis, whose history he explores in The First Beautiful Game. --- Interview Link: — Roman’s website - https://www.romankrznaric.com