Lea Ypi: Indignity, A Life Reimagined

TPL and Toronto Metropolitan University present acclaimed political theorist and author Lea Ypi in conversation with Sanjay Ruparelia at the Toronto Reference Library's Appel Salon.

As Professor of Political Theory at the London School of Economics and author of the international bestseller Free, Lea Ypi brings a unique perspective to understanding democracy's fragility, one forged through her childhood in communist Albania and her scholarly work on freedom, citizenship, and political transformation.

In her powerful new memoir Indignity: A Life Reimagined, Ypi traces her grandmother's extraordinary life through the seismic upheavals of 20th century Europe—from war and revolution to dictatorship and mass displacement. The book is set against Europe's most turbulent and tragic century. But war, political extremism, rising nationalism, and the mass movement of peoples are now also defining features of our own era, reshaping the European political landscape and challenging democratic institutions worldwide.

What does it mean to live with dignity amid regime change and historic convulsions? How do class and privilege, and systems of surveillance and misinformation, shape these experiences and possibilities under authoritarianism and democracy? Can we recover the truth from history when only shards of evidence remain? What moral duties do we owe to the past and to those who can no longer speak for themselves?

Drawing from her experience growing up in one of Europe's most isolated regimes and her work as one of the most influential voices in contemporary political philosophy, Ypi offers crucial insights into how political systems shape individual lives across generations, and what it means to sustain dignity and democratic values amid profound uncertainty.

Question and answer session and book signing to follow. Books available for purchase.

About this Event's Guests:

Lea Ypi

Sanjay Ruparelia

Read More:

Indignity: A Life Reimagined

Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History

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This event is part of our On Civil Society series, where we host local and international authors, activists and academics in conversation about the most critical topics of our time. Generously supported by the McConnell Foundation and also by Chris M. Reid.

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About the series:

On the Frontlines of Democracy is a public lecture series to analyze the trajectory of democracy in the twenty-first century.

In every region, the prospects of democracy face serious challenges, old and new. Can we protect constitutional rights and renew collective self-rule in an era of popular mistrust, severe partisanship and resurgent nationalism? Can they reduce inequalities of power, wealth and status, defend deep diversity and confront climate change in the new digital age? Can we develop innovative strategies to revitalize civic engagement, empower public institutions and resist autocratic threats? And what can we offer, learn and do to promote the prospects of democracy in our increasingly post-western global order?

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PLAN YOUR VISIT:

Location: Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street), 2nd floor

Time: Doors open 6:00 pm, Event starts 7 pm.

Tickets: Free registration required.

Ticket policy: Tickets guaranteed until 6:50 pm, after which rush line admission begins. Seating first come, first served.

TPL is committed to accessibility. If you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation for this event, please contact [email protected] or 416-393-7099 at least three weeks prior to the event.

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