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Science & Cocktails: Rivaling World Powers and Democracy

Tuesday 17 June 2025

In Tolhuistuin - Club

Doors: 19:00, Support: 19:30, Main programme: 20:30

Program is half seated, half standing

Science & Cocktails is a series of public talks by scientists with live music and smoky dry-ice chilled cocktails in your hand.

19:00 doors open for cocktails

19:30 Frank Arnold (live)

20:30 Haroon Sheikh (talk)

Event in English, semi-seated.

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Science & Cocktails: Power and Countervailing Power in the 21st Century

We are entering a new era: one defined by bold displays of power and influence on a global scale. But what is the nature of this shift? How is this new form of power projection shaping our daily lives, our democracies, and the future of Europe? Most importantly, how can we begin to regulate these forces, and develop new ways to balance their impact?

We live in an age of unbounded power projection with a display of power and influence. This is caused by a growing rivalry between great powers and the new foreign policy of the U.S. Moreover, power is projected through new means. Think of information warfare, the use of access to resources, the disturbance of supply chains, the weaponization of technologies like chips, AI, Quantum Technology and even the use of people as weapons (as migrants or by mobilizing criminal networks and diasporas). In this talk, Haroon Sheikh, senior researcher at the Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) and professor of philosophy at VU University, will explore how these new forms of power are changing global politics, putting pressure on democracy, and why we need fresh ideas to restore balance.

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Line-up

Club

Haroon Sheikh

About the speaker

Haroon Sheikh is a senior researcher at the Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) and professor of philosophy at VU University. He conducts multidisciplinary research on issues relating to international order and new technologies. His work is characterized by a broad orientation on different fields and schools of thought and a fruitful combination of empirical research and abstraction, orthodox as well as unorthodox thinking. Sheikh is a regular contributor to Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, participates in Dutch public debate and involved in several global projects like the Eurostack and the AI Safety Report.

Finally, he has written several books on geopolitics and the impact of new technologies: The Rise of the East: Eurasia and the New World Order (2016, in Dutch), Embedding Technopolis: Turning Modernity into a Home (2017, in English) and Hydropolitics: cooperation and conflict on seven seas (2019, in Dutch).

Frank Arnold

A musical clusterfuck featuring members of Cavolo Nero, Dorpsstraat 3 and Nusantara Beat: together they are Frank Arnold. This collective of musicians creates dark yet danceable tracks that give a stage to the bleak resonance of the Dutch language. Perfect for the dancefloor, but also for those in search of something deeper.

One listener might hear echoes of Talking Heads, another is reminded of Doe Maar, and fans of Het Goede Doel will recognize familiar influences too. The lyrics revolve around flawed character traits and relatable insecurities we’re not always proud of. Frank Arnold doesn’t offer solutions, but shines a disco light on them because they deserve to be seen.

More information

Frank Arnold Shoot SERGIOSPADON 61 Large

How to get to Tolhuistuin

Tolhuistuin (formerly Paradiso Noord) is located at IJpromenade 2 in Amsterdam North. A free ferry is departing from Amsterdam Central Station to Buiksloterweg. Turn left and you’ll walk into Tolhuistuin. For club nights, the rear entrance is used (Buiksloterweg 5C), which can be reached via the Overhoeksplein.

Restaurant
Tolhuistuin also has a restaurant in which you can have a bite before the show. We advise to make a reservation in advance via this website.

Google Maps

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