Invitation to the Panel Discussion "Defuse It or Lose It" – Munich Security Conference Side Event
Panel Discussion
"Defuse It or Lose It: How to Defuse Interdependence Without Blowing Up the Liberal World Order"
Thursday, 12 February 2026 | 6:30 PM | Amerikahaus, Karolinensaal, Karolinenplatz 3, Munich
The Bavarian Research Alliance for Peace, Conflict and Security Studies (FoKS) warmly invites you to a side event taking place alongside the Munich Security Conference (MSC). The discussion will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Jana Hönke, Chair of Sociology of Africa at the University of Bayreuth.
As economic, technological, and security interdependencies are increasingly being used as strategic instruments, global interconnectedness has become a key geopolitical resource—with far-reaching implications for open societies, international cooperation, and Europe's capacity to act.
The panel will discuss how Germany and Europe can respond to these developments and whether initiatives such as the EU Global Gateway offer a viable path for transforming dependencies into resilience.
Welcome Remarks
- Dr. Benedikt Franke (invited), Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Munich Security Conference – Welcome Greetings from the MSC
- Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel, President of the University of Regensburg and Chair of FoKS – Welcome Remarks
Panel
- Prof. Dr. Eugénia da Conceição-Heldt, FoKS Fellow, Chair of European and Global Governance, Technical University of Munich (TUM)
- PD Dr. Andreas Kruck (invited), FoKS Fellow, Senior Researcher, Chair of Global Governance and Public Policy, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)
- Prof. Abraham L. Newman, PhD, Director, BMW Center for German and European Studies, Georgetown University
Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Jana Hönke, Member of the FoKS Executive Board, Chair of Sociology of Africa, University of Bayreuth
Registration is required. Please register by 9 February 2026.