Prof. Irfan Ahmad presented his academic papers titled “How Non-West Dreams a Global Order: On Alternatives to the Euro-American Model” and “Rethinking Commitment: Participant Thinking, Not Participant Observation!” at two different international events.
On May 16, 2026, Prof. Ahmad delivered his presentation titled “How Non-West Dreams a Global Order: On Alternatives to the Euro-American Model” at the DRIFT Philosophy Festival, organized by students of the University of Amsterdam.
In his presentation, Prof. Ahmad discussed the post-Cold War projects for a new “cosmopolitan” international order proposed by philosophers who draw inspiration from Kant and are rooted in European traditions, particularly Jürgen Habermas. He critically examined the relevance and value of these projects in today’s world, considering events such as the Russia-Ukraine war, the genocide of Palestinians, the Israel-US attack on Iran, and rising ethno-nationalism globally.
To this end, he foregrounded and stressed visions of alternative, non-nation-state orders articulated by thinkers and activists from Africa, India and the Middle East, offering philosophical perspectives to imagine a more just, peaceful, and democratic world.
The second event took place on 25 May 2026 at the Department of Sociology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Prof. Ahmad presented his paper “Rethinking Commitment: Participant Thinking, Not Participant Observation!” in the workshop “Ethics in/of Commitment”. The presentation aimed to critique the prevalent notions of participant observation and offered an alternative idea of participant thinking.
Through these two events, Prof. Ahmad had the opportunity to share his research and engage with academic communities across Europe and Asia.
