Fear and Security in an Age of Terror

What determines the impact of an act of terror is how society responds to it. The fear of terror can sometimes exact a greater cost to society than its impact. Too often an act of terror incite governments to curb our freedoms on the ground it is necessary to trade-off liberties for security. However the answer to ter­rorism is to not less but more freedom. Instead of playing their game and allow ourselves to change the way we live our lives it is necessary to celebrate the freedoms afforded by an open society. The way to deal with fear is through engaging in acts of active solidarity. In his Freedom Lecture Frank Furedi argues that trading off freedom does not make us more secure only more fearful. ‘You either live freedom or you lose it!’

Frank Furedi is a sociologist, author and social commentator. He was formerly Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent in Canterbury. His research is oriented towards the study of the workings of precautionary culture and risk aversion in Western societies. In his books he has explored controversies and panics over issues such as health, children, food, new technology and terrorism. He wrote a range of influential books that are also translated into Dutch: Culture of Fear (2002), Where have All the Intellectuals Gone? (2005), Invitation to Terror: the Expanding Empire of the Unknown (2007), On Tolerance: A Defense of Moral Independence (2011) and What’s Happened to the University? (2016).

The Freedom Lectures are organized annually in the run-up to May 5, Liberation Day. The lectures are based on the Four Freedoms of the American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt and are organized in cooperation with the Bevrijdingsfestivals (Liberation Festivals) in nine Dutch provinces.

Other Freedom Lecture in Groningen Sunday 30 April: Prem Radhakishun, 4 p.m., Groninger Forum. More information: www.vrijheidscolleges.nl