Join us for an inspiring cultural experience as we proudly support the upcoming event organized by the Villa Albertine in Houston.
Night of Ideas 2026
Enlightenment Legacies, Critical Futures: Thought, Speech, Action
Thursday, April 9
Houston, TX | Rice University Campus
12pm-1pm | Rayzor Hall 119
4:30pm-7:30pm | Hudspeth Auditorium & Anderson Clark Center
Presented by the Humanities Research Center at Rice University and Villa Albertine.
Free and open to the public.
On April 9, 2026, Night of Ideas returns to Houston with an afternoon and evening of reflection and conversation focusing on the legacies of the Enlightenment and the possibilities for thought, speech, and action today.
At a moment when the foundations of democracy are being challenged and society faces multiple crises, from climate change to the rise of unregulated generative AI, how can critical thinking be nurtured, young voices be empowered, and collective action take form? What can we learn from the legacies of Enlightenment? How can we imagine different futures?
Organized in partnership with the Humanities Research Center at Rice University as part of the Critical Futures theme, this Night of Ideas brings together scholars, artists, students, and community members to explore the legacy of the Enlightenment and its contemporary relevance.
The event will feature Antoine Lilti, Professor at the Collège de France where he holds the chair in the History of the Enlightenment, 18th-21th century, Lumir Lapray, a community organizer focused on rural communities; and Stephen Sawyer, Ballantine-Leavitt Professor of History and Director of the Center for Critical Democracy Studies at the The American University of Paris.
For more information about the event, and to RSVP: https://nightofideas.org/houston/
