On May 11, 2026, invited by Professor Hou Jianxin, Senior Professor and Director of the Institute for European Civilization at Tianjin Normal University, Professor Li Hongtu from Fudan University delivered a lecture entitled Reconstructing the Concept of "Society": Discourse of Modern European Socialism at the University’s Scholars Forum. The event was presided over by Professor Hou Jianxin, attracting teachers and students from the Institute for European Civilization.

Professor Li Hongtu serves as Professor at the Department of History and the Institute for Global History, as well as Research Fellow at the Center for Sino-Foreign Modernization Studies, Fudan University. His main research fields include modern European intellectual history and social history. He is also the chief investigator of the Major Project of the National Social Science Fund of China, A Study on the History of Modern European Socialist Thought.

At the beginning of the lecture, Professor Li pointed out that liberalism, socialism and nationalism, the three major ideological trends in modern European history, jointly shaped European modernity. Therefore, socialism is not only a pivotal ideological system, but also an essential perspective for understanding the formation of European modernity. In this context, it is imperative to conduct historical research on modern European socialist thought and explore the value and significance of this ideological heritage for both past and present.

Professor Li then gave a systematic elaboration covering the historical background, academic research history, conceptual origins, intellectual sources, evolutionary features and core tenets of socialist thought. He further offered in-depth interpretations on the relationship between freedom and equality, the mutual absorption of ideas between socialism and liberalism, and the diversities of socialist thought across different European countries.

Towards the end of the lecture, with a focus on realistic concerns, Professor Li noted that exploring the social development models conceived and practiced by modern European socialist thinkers helps us reflect on what kind of modernity we should pursue and what type of civilization we aim to build for our country.

After the lecture, Professor Li engaged in lively exchanges with faculty and students of the institute. Professor Hou Jianxin delivered comments and speak highly of the lecture. Professor Hou also shared insightful views on the normal distribution of academic research, the common origin of capitalism and socialism, and the interpretation of European civilization from a holistic historical perspective.