The Phoenix Institute 2025 Trumau-Vienna Summer Seminar for the Study of Western Institutions
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
The courses that will be offered this summer are:
- Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America
Dr. Patrick Overeem
. - Augustine’s Confessions
Dr. Salvador Antuñano
. - Being free in a broken world.
A Philosophical-Literary Exploration of Modernity
Dr. Diego I. Rosales
**Detailed course descriptions are available below.**
Tuition for the 2025 program will be 2,400 Euros
. **See below for details.**
Dr. Patrick Overeem
Associate professor in Political Theory
Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
What is the best political regime? Most present-day people will probably answer ‘democracy’ to that question. Across the world, even in many non-democratic countries, the principles and ideals of democracy are widely endorsed. This has not always been the case, however. For most centuries in written history, other regimes have been regarded as superior to democracy, particularly monarchy and aristocracy. The general appeal of democracy is a late modern phenomenon.
One brilliant man who lived at the very transition from aristocratic monarchy to democracy was the French thinker Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859). As a young man, he visited the newly established United States of America to study what he expected to be the dominant political regime of the future: democracy. He wrote a magnificent two-volume book titled De la Démocratie en Amérique (1835-1840) – a very accessible work that still counts as “the best book ever written on democracy”. It is an insightful exploration into the nature of democracy and its wide-ranging consequences for our both public and private lives and indeed even our inner life. Tocqueville is an exceptionally clear-eyed observer, who honestly highlights both the pros and cons of democracy.
In this course, we will read and discuss Tocqueville’s Democracy in America in order to learn not just about his observations in the 1830s, but also about our own political and social world. We will see that many of his insights apply today even better than when he wrote them. We will also see that his book helps us to understand not just America, but also many other democratic and quasi-democratic countries in the world. Democracy being in unprecedented turmoil, both in America and in other parts of the world, turning to this fundamental work is again very timely.
Recommended edition: any complete edition is allowed, but the teacher will use Democracy in America, translated by Harvey C. Mansfield & Delba Winthrop, The University of Chicago Press (2000).
Dr. Patrick Overeem. Associate professor at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) in Amsterdam, where he specializes in political theory and ethics. Dr. Overeem has published on integrity, virtue, statesmanship, and (political) compromise, among other topics.
Dr. Salvador Antuñano
Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Madrid, Spain
What relevance could the autobiographical reflections of a North African bishop from sixteen hundred years ago have in the 21st century? What could he teach us, when we have access to infinitely more knowledge, much faster and more immediately, than St. Augustine could have imagined in his time? Is his work so distant in time, so rooted in a different cultural context, that its value could only be archaeological—a mere witness to a time long gone by?
Yet, is his time so different from ours? Are we not witnessing how our world and its supposed certainties crumble at every turn, just as his did? St. Augustine lived through a time of profound cultural transformation. He experienced the great changes of his era firsthand, while also helping to shape the emerging world. He did so because he distinguished between the particularities of his historical moment and the universal, perennial truths that run through all of history.
Augustine’s Confessions offer a unique window into this dynamic. They are both a personal reflection on his life—his education, relationships, aspirations, crises, and the atmosphere of the cities in which he lived—and an expression of his search for meaning and for a God who embodies the purpose of human existence as the perfect Good, Truth, and Beauty it yearns for.
If the main character in this story is God, the co-protagonist is Augustine—his interiority, conscience, tendencies, and psychology. The human self is discovered in relation to God, yet it does not identify with Him. Around God and the self, Augustine addresses themes like freedom, grace, the mystery of evil, friendship, creation, time and eternity, knowledge, natural law, the order of being, history’s meaning, and the Church’s role, making The Confessions a work of profound philosophical, theological, and existential depth.
In light of this, the course offers an introduction and guided reading of The Confessions, beginning with three sessions on St. Augustine’s context, life, works, and the book’s themes, followed by the analysis of the key passages of the text through seminar-style discussions.
Dr. Salvador Antuñano. Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Barcelona. Ph.D., Bioethics, Regina Apostolorum Pontifical Athenaeum. S.Th.L., Patristic Theology, San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University. Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Director of the Master in Humanities at the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria.
Dr. Diego I. Rosales
Hápax Humanities Research Center
Mexico City, Mexico
Human beings have a fundamental desire for freedom, truth, and goodness. Over the centuries, the modern world has focused on addressing this desire for freedom, often by blurring or overlooking the distinctions between good and evil, truth and falsehood. While this approach may seem exciting and empowering at times, it brings profound frustration by neglecting our need for truth and goodness, as well as the negative social consequences their absence creates. When freedom becomes an absolute goal, pursued through efficient actions driven by merely subjective ends, those who think or act differently are often seen as enemies to be corrected, confronted, or eliminated.
To address these dilemmas, this course will explore the distinction drawn by French philosopher Gabriel Marcel between ‘problems’ and ‘mysteries.’
Unlike the modern tendency to reduce all mysteries to problems—solvable through economic, political, or technical measures—Marcel distinguishes between “problems,” which require a fix, and “mysteries,” which envelop us and demand a deeper understanding of who we are and the fundamental realities that shape us, such as love, suffering, evil, and the role of religious faith.
By delving into this distinction, we will discover how the idea of “mystery” can help us view human differences not as barriers but as a potential source for wisdom and growth, ultimately guiding us toward the truth, goodness, and beauty we all yearn for.
The readings for this course will include key passages from Gabriel Marcel’s works, such as The Mystery of Being, Homo Viator, and The Problematic Man. Additionally, we will discuss brief literary texts, especially poetry and short stories, which will illuminate these philosophical notions from a narrative and dramatic perspective. These will include works by Borges, Poe, Paz, Kafka, Chesterton, Joyce, Bloy, Dostoevsky, and others.
Dr. Diego I. Rosales. Ph.D. Philosophy, Comillas Pontifical University. M.A., Philosophy, National Autonomous University of Mexico. B.A., Philosophy, Panamerican University. Senior Researcher at Hápax Humanities Research Center.
Orientation is to be held on Saturday, July 12. Attendance is compulsory for all students.
This orientation session will provide you with a proper introduction to the summer course as a whole. As a student, you will meet your professors, classmates, and coordinators. You also will receive the official calendar of curricular and extracurricular activities and learn all you need to know about life at Trumau.
FOR THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS ONLY
The Gerhart Niemeyer Graduation Seminar is the academic activity through which Phoenix senior students (third-year) complete the Institute’s Program in Advanced Social, Economic, and Political Studies.
During the 2025 Trumau-Vienna program, the Seminar discussion sessions will be held on the first full week of the summer program. The Graduation Seminar will cost 70 Euros.
The cost of the program is 2,400 Euros. It includes:
- Full tuition fee, double/triple-occupancy accommodations.
- A three-week Meal Plan (daily continental breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday).
- Use of the ITI facilities
- A number of cultural activities in and around Vienna (transportation included)
The full cost of the program’s tuition fee must be covered by June 15, preferably earlier. Admission to the campus will only be possible after full prior payment of the tuition fee.
The first step to apply is by filling out the Pre-Registration form that can be found here.
Click here for the full description of the Admission Procedure.
A 300 Euro non-refundable initial payment will be required within the five business days after a student is notified of their acceptance to the summer program.
Enrollment in the summer program is limited. All applications will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Due to high demand, students are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
This payment is part of the total cost of the program.
Please note that the Phoenix Institute does not provide medical care or insurance coverage for its attendees. As such, make sure to purchase your own full medical insurance policy that would cover any medical emergencies or needs during the course.
To be admitted to the ITI campus, you would need to provide us with written proof of your insurance coverage by June 30.
The Seminar will be held in Trumau, Austria, at the campus of the International Theological Institute (ITI) which is located 20 minutes south of Vienna and 30 minutes southwest of Vienna Airport by car.
As a small city in the vicinity of Vienna, Trumau offers ample opportunities to take full advantage of Austria’s rich cultural atmosphere.
The Phoenix Institute 2024 Trumau-Vienna Summer Seminar for the Study of Western Institutions
JULY 5 – JULY 27, 2024
We are delighted to announce The Phoenix Institute’s 2024 Trumau-Vienna Summer Seminar for the Study of Western Institutions, scheduled to take place from Friday, July 5, to Saturday, July 27, 2024.
Further information will be available on this website shortly. In the meantime:
Mark the dates of the summer program on your calendar.
If you haven’t done so already, kindly complete your pre-registration for the 2024 summer program here.
The seminar is going to take place in Trumau, Austria, at the Katholische Hochschule ITI campus. It is located just 20 minutes south of Vienna and a 30-minute drive southwest of Vienna Airport. As a small city in the vicinity of Vienna, Trumau offers plenty of opportunities to explore Austria’s rich cultural scene.
For any inquiries, don’t hesitate to contact us at summer.seminars@thephoenixinstitute.org.