Timothy Garton Ash to address ‘The European Crisis’ in Barrett Family Lecture at Notre Dame London
Now in its fifth iteration, the Barrett Family Lecture, organized by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies in Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs, will welcome Timothy Garton Ash on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Notre Dame London. His lecture, titled “The European Crisis,” will begin at 6:00 p.m. local time.
Timothy Garton Ash is professor of European studies and Isaiah Berlin Professorial Fellow Emeritus at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is the author of 11 books centered on contemporary Europe from the second half of the 20th century to the present. His most recent book, “Homelands: A Personal History of Europe” (2023), draws on his extensive research and personal experiences of the European continent to deliver a history that is both academically rigorous and deeply felt. He also writes as a columnist for The Guardian.
Garton Ash will speak about a range of dichotomies that challenge Europe today, such as war and peace, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, relations with the US and China, liberalism and populism, and integration and disintegration.
Clemens Sedmak, professor of social ethics at the Keough School and the Nanovic Institute’s director, says, “Timothy Garton Ash is an ideal choice of speaker for the Barrett Lecture because his expertise spans so many research priorities and interests of the institute. From the big questions facing contemporary Europe to international diplomacy, and of course, to solidarity with Ukraine, Garton Ash will offer insights into the very foundational questions we seek to explore and bring them together in a fascinating way, highlighting the critical moment for Europe we are in.”
Rory Finnin, professor of Ukrainian studies at the University of Cambridge and 2025-26 visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame, added, “Timothy Garton Ash is not only a highly distinguished scholar and public intellectual engaged in what he has called the ‘history of the present.’ He is among the most powerful voices articulating the very idea of Europe with moral clarity and strategic wisdom – and reminding us of the stakes of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.”
The Barrett Family Lecture Series was established through the generous support of R. Stephen and Ruth Barrett and aims to bring prominent leaders in the fields of business, politics, and the arts to Notre Dame Dublin and Notre Dame London to share their views on significant issues related to contemporary Europe with Notre Dame students, faculty, and staff, as well as the wider community.
Previous speakers in this series include:
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Mairead McGuinness (2024), European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services, and the Capital Markets Union
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Chris Patten (2022), Lord Patten of Barnes and Chancellor of Oxford University;
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Catherine Day (2018), former Secretary-General of the European Commission; and
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Peter Sutherland, S.C. (2015), then special representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for migration and president of the International Catholic Migration Commission.
The Nanovic Institute is thrilled to welcome Timothy Garton Ash as the next speaker in this prestigious series and is grateful to Notre Dame London for hosting this event.
Originally published by at nanovic.nd.edu on March 19, 2026.