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Hans E. Offerdal

@hofferdal.bsky.social
2K followers 717 following 4.9K posts

Adviser for international affairs at the University of Bergen (UiB). Latin America, México & liberation theology aficionado. Strong supporter of free speech, academic freedom and a humane world! Opinions are my own. Reposts are not necessarily endorsements

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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 27m
Daciana Pop, president of @esuonline.bsky.social underlines the importance of "freedom to learn, freedom to teach and freedom to do research" for academic freedom, in her excellent presentation at the @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social conference.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 54m
"Democracy depends on independent institutions that can produce knowledge for society", says Dr. Christoph Kümmel of @dfg.de at the @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social in Zagreb
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 1h
Science must be free from state control", says Prof. Ivan Šimonović, Director General, President of the @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social Association,and member of the UN Human Rights Committee, at the opening of the conference.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 12h
"Academic Freedom: Ideals and Realities", by Prof. Liviu Matei, Head of the King's School of Education, Communication & Society (ESC), @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social , Vice-President Governing Council of Magna Charta Universitatum at @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social conference in Zagreb tomo.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 12h
@iucdubrovnik.bsky.social in Zagreb: "Safeguarding Academic Freedom with the New Generation of Academics. Challenges and Opportunities for Students and Early-Career Scholars", by Tiago Nogueira, Memner of the Steering Committee of @globalstudentforum.org In cooperation with @esuonline.bsky.social
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 16h
"How universities can protect and promote academic freedom: the EUA Principles and Guidelines", by Dr. Monika Steinel, Dept. Secretary General @eua.eu. In Zagreb at the @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social conference. Join in! iuc.hr/programme/2148 @dfg.de @esuonline.bsky.social @globalstudentforum.org
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 17h
"Universities as Places of Democratic Resistance", Dr. Gazela Pudar Draško, Director at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade. Zagreb, join us. iuc.hr/programme/2148 @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social @paul-stubbs.bsky.social @wiegerbakker.bsky.social @esuonline.bsky.social
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 19h
Dr. Christoph Kümmel @dfg.de will discuss "How Academic Freedom Is Threatened – and How Resilience of Research Can Be Actively Strengthened". Zagreb, tomorrow (Thursday). Join us, and engage with him! iuc.hr/programme/2148 @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social @paul-stubbs.bsky.social @wiegerbakker.bsky.social
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 21h
Daciana Pop, president of @esuonline.bsky.social, will bring the students' perspective to the crucial @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social discussion on academic freedom. Meet her tomorrow,in Zagreb, at the conference! iuc.hr/programme/2148 @globalstudentforum.org @eua.eu @wiegerbakker.bsky.social
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 23h
Visiting the Faculty of Political Science, Deputy Director General @wiegerbakker.bsky.social of the @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social, says that "student voices are key in the debates on academic freedom, freedom of speech in the context of human rights." @globalstudentforum.org @esuonline.bsky.social
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Kick-off in less than 24 hours! If you are in Zagreb please join us, and the conversation, at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb tomo. @esuonline.bsky.social @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social @dfg.de @globalstudentforum.org @wiegerbakker.bsky.social @paul-stubbs.bsky.social @eua.eu
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The book was made into a 1962 movie, with Brock Peters, Mary Badham and Gregory Peck. If you have not seen it, it is worth a watch. Trailer👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR7l...
U.S. theatrical poster of the 1962 movie "To Kill a Mockingbird"
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
So, the question is if Lula can pull this off in the second round 25 October? Lula "was convinced I was going to win the election in the first round … But we have a second round.”... Lessons (for the (international) left) to be learned here? Some of today's front pages from Brazil👇
Facsimiles of the front pages of Folha de S. Paulo, O Globo, Correio, O Dia, Correi Brazilense and Meiahora, 5 October 2026.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
@coimbragroup.bsky.social, the complete programme of the upcoming @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social, @esuonline.bsky.social and FPZG conference, Thursday and Friday, this week is available on iuc.hr/programme/2148 @wiegerbakker.bsky.social @dfg.de @globalstudentforum.org @youthforum.bsky.social @eua.eu
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
90% of the votes in the election in Brazil are in. Seems like there will be a runofff. The question is if Lula has any real chance in a runoff with barley 44% of the votes today...
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Bolsonaro just dropped below 50%🫣
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
More than 20% of the votes in the election in Brazil are in. Let's see if the 2022 development repeats itself, or not.🥵😰
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Some statisticians with expertise in election results please help here!!! Close to 4% of the votes are in, and Bolsonaro already have passed 50%😭
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Only 1,51% of the votes in from the election in Brazil. Let's hope that this changes dramatically😢 @kbgraubart.bsky.social
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Voting has just ended; now waiting for results. #Brasil
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
If you are not familiar with Freire's work, here a selection of some of his (many) books in English translation. Bibl. in alt-txt. #Brazil #Freire
Facsimiles of the covers of the books

Freire, Paulo. Cultural Action for Freedom. 2000 ed. Harvard Educational Review, no. 1. Harvard Educational Review, 2000.

Freire, Paulo. Education for Critical Consciousness. Bloomsbury Revelations. Bloomsbury Academic, 2013.

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of Freedom: Ethics, Democracy, and Civic Courage. Critical Perspectives Series. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1998.

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the City. Continuum, 1993.

Freire, Paulo. Teachers as Cultural Workers: Letters to Those Who Dare Teach. Expanded ed. Westview Press, 2005.

Freire, Paulo, Ana Maria Araújo Freire, Robert R. Barr, and Paulo Freire. Pedagogy of Hope: Reliving Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Continuum, 1999.

Freire, Paulo, and Paulo Freire. Pedagogy of the Heart. Continuum, 1998.

Freire, Paulo, and Donaldo P. Macedo. Letters to Cristina: Reflections on My Life and Work. Routledge, 1996.

Freire, Paulo, Donaldo P. Macedo, and Ira Shor. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 50th anniversary edition. Translated by Myra Bergman Ramos. Bloomsbury Academic, 2018.

Freire, Paulo, and Donaldo Pereira Macedo. The Paulo Freire Reader. Edited by Ana Maria Araújo Freire. Continuum, 2000.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The recent documentary "Reading the World" ["Lendo o Mundo"] on Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, will be shown on the PBS World channel in the U.S., on 9 and 10 October. Check your local listings for exact times. English trailer👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjSa... 🌐https://www.lendoomundo.com/english
Facsilme of poster for the documentary "Reading the World" about Paulo Freire.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Brazil goes to the polls today. Lula or Bolsonaro? Here are some of today's newspaper front pages from Brazil. Brasil acude hoy a las urnas. ¿Lula o Bolsonaro? Aquí algunas de las portadas de los periódicos brasileños de hoy.
Facsimiles of the front pages of Correio Brazilense, Folha de S. Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo, O Dia and O Globo, 4 october 2026.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
A story that has all the elements of getting much bigger! Also, some front pages from today's French newspapers.
Facsimiles of the front pages of l'Humanite, Le Figaro, Liberation and La Vouix du Nord, Friday 2 October 2026.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
8-9 Oct. 2026, Zagreb: HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM FOR THE NEW GENERATION. iuc.hr/programme/2148 Org. by @iucdubrovnik.bsky.social, @esuonline.bsky.social & FPZG. @eua.eu @wiegerbakker.bsky.social @dfg.de @paul-stubbs.bsky.social @globalstudentforum.org @youthforum.bsky.social
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
¡y hoy es 26 de septiembre de 2026! #Ayotzinapa #Mexico #militarización #4T
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Las portadas de algunos periódicos de México de hoy sobre Ayotzinapa.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
John Paul II on Liberation Theology: “You know that liberation theology is a true theology” January 25, 1979, on flight from Rome to Santo Domingo.
Quotes from Pope John Paul II on Liberation Theology:

“You know that liberation theology is a true theology”
JANUARY 25, 1979, ON FLIGHT FROM ROME TO SANTO DOMINGO

“it must be admitted that one of the great contemporary theologians, Hans Urs von Balthassar, is right when he demands a theology of liberation on a universal scale”
FEBRUARY 21, 1979,  GENERAL AUDIENCE

“the theology of liberation is not only timely but useful and necessary.”
APRIL 9, 1986, LETTER TO BRAZILIAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE

Photo of Mons. Romero with John Paul II, 1979
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Slava Ukraini!
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Minner meg om en 2017 bok med samme konsept, under ledelse av Bandy X. Lee, M.D., M.Div., en Forensic Psychiatrist på Yale School of Medicine us.macmillan.com/books/978125... Noe av problemet (og etikken) er vel at ingen av dem har hatt ham som pasient. Men, det er jo ennå håp...
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Juan José Tamayo has published more than 40 books. Unfortunately, nothing has been translated to English. Anyway, four of his very interesting books (bibl. alt-txt)👇
Facsimiles of the covers of the books:

Tamayo, Juan José. Cristianismo radical. Trotta, 2025.

Tamayo-Acosta, Juan José. La Teología de La Liberación: En El Nuevo Escenario Político y Religioso. Colección Diáspora. Tirant lo Blanch, 2009.

Tamayo-Acosta, Juan José. Teologías Del Sur: El Giro Descolonizador. Colección Estructuras y Procesos. Serie Religión. Editorial Trotta, 2017.

Tamayo-Acosta, Juan José, and Juan Bosch, eds. Panorama de la teología latinoamericana: cuando vida y pensamiento son inseparables ... 2. ed. Ed. Verbo Divino, 2002.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2026 is out! University of Bergen has 22 subjects ranked in the 2026 edition of GRAS. Political science, @sampol.bsky.social, at the University of Bergen (UiB) has moved into the 51-75 group; now seriously among the best ranked in the world🤩
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The quote on the front page of the national Swedish paper @etc.se, day after the election reads "In three elections the socialdemocrats have tried to gain voters from the middle by going to the right. Think if one had used this time to get voters from the middle to become more left?"
Facsimile of front page of Swedish national newspaper Dagens ETC, 13 September 2026.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
More than 60% of the votes are in, in the election in Sweden. Way to early to say who will/can form a government. No clear majority. However, the good news is that the far-right seems to have lost support across whole of Sweden!
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
30% of the votes are in, in the election in Sweden. This is starting to look much better, but still it seems that the far-right party will become Sweden's third largest party...
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Well, might I (hopefully) be missing something here? Because this, like 6 minutes ago, does not look good at all. #Election #Sweden
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Some of the problems were due to the connections with Mexican bishop Sergio Méndez Arceo, bishop of Cuernavava 1953-1983. He was known as "The Red Bishop". A documentary movie about Méndez Arceo was screened in Mexico this Spring. www.panoptico.tv/movie/red-bi...
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The 1927 pamphlet by Russell is available in pdf across the internet. It was also issued in 1957 together with some other essays of Russell in the book "Why I Am Not A Christian and other essays", New York: Simon Schuster; London: George Allen & Unwin, 1957.
Facsimile of the cover of the book:

"Why I Am Not A Christian and other essays", New York: Simon Schuster; London: George Allen & Unwin, 1957.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
An important book. If I am not mistaken, "Why I am still a Christian" by Hans Küng, was first published in 1987 - 60 years after Russell😇 www.bloomsbury.com/us/why-i-am-...
Cover of 2025 edition of "Why I am still a Christian" by Hans Küng
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
It is a long and complicated story. The tabloid version is thru (a) interest in (social justice) history, (b) music and (c) theology. The latter led me to Mons. Romero, and I went to do some coursework at UCA San Salvador with some heroic Jesuits, incl. Fr. Sobrino😇
Facsimile of the cover of the movie Romero, starring Raul Julia, 1989.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
The work by Cardenal Arns, Pastor Wright and lawyer Eny Raimundo Moreira, among many others, resulted in the publication of "Brasil: Nunca mais" in 1985. You can read a bit about it, including presentation of a new (2026) book retelling the historical context, at jornal.unicamp.br/en/noticias/...
Facsmiles of the covers of the books:

Arns, Paulo Evaristo. Brasil : Nunca Mais. Petrópolis: Editora Vozes, 1985.

São Paulo (Archidiócesis), and University of Texas Institute of Latin American Studies. Torture in Brazil: A Shocking Report on the Pervasive Use of Torture by Brazilian Military Governments, 1964-1979. Austin: University of Texas Press, Institute of Latin American Studies, 1998.

Vannuchi, Camilo. Nunca Mais:Os Bastidores Da Maior Denúncia Contra a Tortura Já Feita No Brasil. São Paulo, SP: Discurso Direto Editora, 2ª EDIÇÃO, 2026.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
It was all over Latin America. Sure you know the work by Ernesto Cardenal (Nicaragua). What is perhaps not so well known (outside of Church circles) is the story about how Cardinal Arns of São Paulo (and Pastor Wright) was instrumental in documenting the atrocities of the regime. Told by Weschler.
Facsmiles of the covers of the books:

Cardenal, Ernesto. The Gospel in Solentiname. Rev. one-vol. ed. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2010.

Weschler, Lawrence. A Miracle, a Universe: Settling Accounts with Torturers. 1st ed. New York: Penguin Books, 1990.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Just became aware of, what seems like very challenging, two new titles from @broadleafbooks.bsky.social (a publishing house under the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). 🔗in alt-txt "We Mend with Gold" by Kristin T. Lee "We Need John Brown Christians" by Jacqueline Luqman @aljawf.bsky.social
Facsimiles of the covers of the books:

Lee, Kristin T. We Mend with Gold: An Immigrant Daughter’s Reckoning with American Christianity. Broadleaf Books, 2026. https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798889835028/We-Mend-with-Gold

Luqman, Jacqueline. We Need John Brown Christians. Embracing Christianity That Confronts Power. Broadleaf Books, 2026. https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798889835721/We-Need-John-Brown-Christians
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
"En términos reales, los recursos asignados a la SEDENA pasaron de 69,230 millones de pesos (mdp) en 2006 a un máximo histórico de $286,308 mdp en 2024". -México Unido Contra la Delincuencia "El negocio de la militarización: Opacidad, poder y dinero" www.mucd.org.mx/wp-content/u... #Mexico #4T
Facsimil de la primera plana de El Sol de Mexico 2 de septiembre de 2026.
Facsimil de la portada de la tercera edición del informe "El negocio de la militarización: Opacidad, poder y dinero", publicada en junio de 2026 por México Unido Contra la Delincuencia (MUCD).
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Cool! If you don't know: the book that Gutierrez himself was most pleased with was "Las Casas: In Search of the Poor of Jesus Christ", published by @orbisbooks.bsky.social in 1993. ISBN 9780883448380
Facsimile of the cover of the book Las Casas: In Search of the Poor of Jesus Christ", by Gustavo Gutierrez. Orbis Books, 1993.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
En la edición impresa de 'Desde la fe', el Obispo Auxiliar de la Arquidiócesis de México Monseñor Héctor M. Pérez, pregunta ¿qué pasa cuando olvidamos los nombres de los desaparecidos? La Iglesia de México está, por fin, mostrando cierto liderazgo en este asunto. desdelafe.mx/opinion-y-bl...
Facsimil de la pagina 3 de 'Desde la fe', No. 1457 / 30 de agosto de 2026.
https://desdelafe.mx/download/185786/?tmstv=1788212624
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
So did also all of the 5 regional newspapers in Norway, honouring a long life of service by the late King Harald V.
Facsimiles of the front pages of Fedrelandsvennen, Stavanger Aftenblad, Asresseavisen,Nordlys and Bergens Tidende, 29 August 2026.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Norway's national newspapers all commemorated King Harald V on their front pages Saturday 29 August 2026.
Facsimiles of the front pages of Norway's national newspapers, Dagbladet, VG, Dagsavisen, Nationen, Aftenposten, DN, Dagen, Klassekampen and Vårt land, 29 August 2026.
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Hans E. Offerdal @hofferdal.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
In a packed University Aula, Steven Levitsky struck a cautiously optimistic note before a captivated University of Bergen audience. His optimism rests on the possibility, though far from certain, that private business and civil society will act as a counterweight to Trump. @cfr.org @kettering.org
Audience in University Aula, University of Bergen, listening to Steven Levitsky.
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