by Sophie
The John Adams Institute (JAI) in Amsterdam has another mouth-watering line-up of speakers this fall, and we are thrilled to be able to share them with you. Be prepared to have your minds broadened and engaged in matters political, social, and spiritual!
Monday 14 September
Principles & Power with David Cattler
The transatlantic alliance was built on a simple premise: shared power depends on shared trust. Today, both are under strain. For eighty years, it has formed the strategic backbone of the democratic world—surviving wars, crises, and profound geopolitical change, but the assumptions that once sustained it are no longer secure. Alliances forged over generations are being tested by new pressures, while democracies face growing uncertainty about the order they helped build.
Having spent years at the heart of that system, David Cattler reflects on a central challenge of our time: how democracies exercise power without losing the principles that make it legitimate. Drawing on decades of experience in intelligence, security, and transatlantic cooperation, he examines the fragile link between power, trust, and leadership. What allows allies to act together when certainty disappears? What holds coalitions together in moments of doubt? And what determines whether democratic leadership is seen as legitimate—not just strong? Anna van Zoest will join the conversation bringing a European perspective to the table.
In the year when the United States marks its 250th anniversary, these questions take on new urgency. In an era defined by rivalry, technological disruption, and democratic anxiety, we ask whether the future of the democratic world depends not on choosing between values and power, but on holding them together under pressure.
Tickets: €25 (or €18 with your ABC Booklover Card)
Location: Dominicuskerk in Amsterdam. We’ll be there with a table full of books in the theme of the evening: Chokepoints, On My Watch, and How Democracies Die, to name just a few.
Monday 5 October
Dare to Dissent with Gal Beckerman
“The incessant asking of this question – Can I live with myself? – is what makes a dissident a dissident. It is not a political stance.” — Gal Beckerman
What does it mean to resist in an age shaped by fear, pressure, and polarization? Where do we turn for courage—and how do we find our own voice?
In this thought-provoking event, acclaimed writer Gal Beckerman explores these urgent questions through the lens of his powerful new book How to Be a Dissident. Drawing on the lives of dissidents across time and continents, from Socrates and Ai Weiwei to Hannah Arendt, Beckerman uncovers the shared traits that define those who dare to challenge the status quo. Blending philosophy, history, and practical insight, the book offers a roadmap for navigating a world increasingly shaped by authoritarian tendencies. What is the mindset of a dissident? How does he or she act on their convictions? What makes them such essential figures for society as a whole?
Beckerman’s work is a call to rediscover dissent not as a rare act of heroism, but as a deeply human capacity: one that each of us can cultivate. 250 years after the American Revolution, it may once again be time for a new kind of dissent, rooted not in rebellion alone, but in courage, critical thought, and the everyday practice of standing up for our shared humanity.
Tickets: €25 (or €18 with your ABC Booklover Card)
Location: Podium Mozaïek in Amsterdam. We’ll be there with a table full of Gal Beckerman’s books.
Sunday 11 October
New Neighbors on the Block
New to Amsterdam? New to our community? Or just want to meet some new faces? Join us for a relaxed meet and greet, co-hosted by the John Adams Institute and the American Book Center.
This is an informal gathering for anyone who has recently landed in Amsterdam – wherever you’ve come from – and wants to feel a little more at home. Current members of our community are just as welcome, whether you’re looking to meet new people or get more involved in what we do.
The John Adams Institute brings noteworthy authors, journalists, and thinkers to Amsterdam for talks and public events on politics, culture, and ideas—a place to stay curious and connected to what’s happening in the wider world.
The American Book Center is Amsterdam’s home for English-language books, a browsing-and-getting-lost-in-the-shelves kind of place, and a natural gathering spot for readers and writers alike.
Together, we’re partners in books and ideas: bringing big names to the stage, and just as importantly, creating everyday spaces like this one to connect. Over light refreshments and conversation, you’ll get a first look at what each organization has to offer—from upcoming talks and events to author nights, exclusive community events, and other ways to get involved and meet people along the way.
No experience or background needed: just come as you are.
Note: registration is required and limited to 50 participants.
Tickets: free, but registration is required.
Location: The American Book Center in Amsterdam.
Monday 19 October
Room in Our House: Dance & Dialogue
Room in Our House is an intimate dance performance that brings together two worlds: the Dutch and the Haudenosaunee, an Indigenous confederacy of North America. Inspired by the centuries-old peace treaty between them, Nicole Beutler Projects and Rematriation created a powerful duet that is deeply rooted in history while searching for a shared future shaped by a shared past. Through dance, storytelling, and a cinematic soundtrack, the performance explores history, cultural memory, trauma, and the possibilities of healing and peace within the context of Dutch–Native American colonial relations.
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy united the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations to promote peace, cooperation, and shared decision-making. Each nation governed its own affairs through its council with Chiefs chosen by the Clan Mother, while the Grand Council handled issues affecting the entire confederacy. Often considered one of the world’s oldest participatory democracies, its constitution is believed to have influenced the U.S. Constitution and is unique for combining law, social values, and respect for nature.
Following the one-hour performance, Dr. Markha Valenta and Indigenous artist Montana Adams will engage in a conversation exploring the long-standing relationship between the Dutch and the Haudenosaunee. How did diplomacy and mutual understanding emerge between two societies with fundamentally different worldviews? What can we learn today from the Haudenosaunee vision of living together? The discussion will also examine the Haudenosaunee influence on ideas of democracy and women’s rights, concepts often regarded as purely Western traditions.
Tickets: €25 (or €18 with your ABC Booklover Card)
Location: OBA Theater in Amsterdam. We’ll be there with a table full of books in the theme of the evening: There, There, The Rediscovery of America, and Braiding Sweetgrass, to name just a few.
Friday 6 November
Midterm Madness: The Aftershow
Democracy doesn’t pause for nuance. As America heads to the polls this November, the stakes couldn’t be higher—not just for the United States, but for democratic movements and geopolitical stability across the Atlantic and beyond. The 2026 US Midterms bring more uncertainty than in recent history: they may be contested or reshape Washington’s foreign policy agenda; they will stoke or soothe America’s internal divisions; and they have the power to destabilize an already fragile global balance at a moment when Western unity and institutional resilience are being tested as never before.
Co-hosted by the John Adams Institute, the Netherlands Atlantic Association, and BKB Het Campagnebureau, we will dive into the themes that matter: how polarization reshapes governance. What economic and social forces are driving voter behavior. The future of transatlantic relations. And how decisions made in voting booths across the country ripple across Europe and the world.
Event format: this is a festival-style experience programmed across two simultaneous rooms at Pakhuis de Zwijger. Your ticket is your passport: choose your own adventure through sessions on whatever topics interest you. Attend a deep-dive analysis, catch a provocative discussion, enjoy live music, or move between rooms as conversations evolve. Stay for one session or stay for all.
Speakers/participants: Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring Mark Leibovich, Atlantic journalist and longtime Washington-based reporter, as he breaks down the results and their ripple effects. Expect short talks by experts and panels diving into a wide variety of topics, live music, reflections on the most memorable moments of the campaign, and the big question: What does this mean not only for the United States, but for Europe?
Tickets: €25
Location: Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam. We’ll be there with a table full of books in the theme of the evening: We, the People, Autocracy, Inc., and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, to name just a few.
