Until the sorcerers' hoop snaps

Was the First Czechoslovak Republic not a colonial empire? Do nations actually exist? Is NATO nothing more than an empty structure incapable of active military intervention? Should we be more sparing with the term fascism? Where can we find hope that modern-day warlocks will see their spells broken?

This meeting between Igor Lukeš, a Boston University professor and international relations specialist, and Aleš Palán, author of award-winning book-length interviews, is far more than a biographical look back at a life's ups and downs. Igor Lukeš's youth in communist Czechoslovakia, his emigration, and finding a new home in the United States are all framed and shaped by political events. However, both men do not just look back – they also look forward in an attempt to understand the troubling trends we see in Western societies, particularly in the USA. Alongside the main interview, Lukeš responds to Palán's "provocations" – sharply and politically incorrectly formulated theses. Questions that are rarely asked bring well-founded viewpoints and reveal unexpected connections. Throughout, Igor Lukeš remains a steadfast defender of liberal democracy and the values of free-thinking, decency, and tolerance.