This lecture examines the widely held assumption that English will remain the dominant global language throughout the 21st century, questioning its long-term stability in an increasingly complex world. Drawing on perspectives from linguistics, philosophy, and cultural history, Mikołaj Sławkowski-Rode explores the historical contingencies that elevated English to global prominence—particularly the political, economic, and technological influence of Anglophone powers—and considers whether these conditions are enduring or transient. 

The discussion analyzes emerging trends that may challenge English’s status, including the rise of other major languages such as Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, the growth of regional linguistic identities, and the transformative impact of digital communication and real-time translation technologies. It also reflects on the cultural and epistemic implications of a potential shift away from English dominance, asking how knowledge production, academic exchange, and global discourse might evolve in a more linguistically plural world. 

Our invited speaker will be Dr Mikołaj Sławkowski-Rode, Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy in the Humanities Research Institute, and Director of Graduate Research in Philosophy at the University of Buckingham. He is also a Research Fellow in Philosophy at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Warsaw. Dr Sławkowski-Rode specialises in philosophy of mind, phenomenology, philosophy of culture and philosophy of religion. His most recent book The Meaning of Mourning: Perspectives on Death, Loss, and Grief (Rowman and Littlefield, 2023) received personal acknowledgement from the Dalai Lama. He is a founding member of the Humane Philosophy Society, which organises the New Generation Research Exchange for Central and Eastern Europe. 

Moderator: Blanka Fugaru-Szőcs is currently pursuing a degree at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Babeș-Bolyai University, while concurrently taking courses on diplomacy, international economic law, and geopolitical crises at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium’s School of International Relations. As a dedicated community builder, she organizes student conferences for MCC’s active members and alumni and co-hosts a podcast focused on youth-centered dialogue. Driven by a lifelong passion for cross-border cultural exchange, she has a background in translation competitions and maintains a disciplined, daily commitment to mastering foreign languages. 

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