Andrei Marga
Andrei Marga is a Romanian philosopher, political scientist, and politician. Rector – for the second time – of the Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, he was a member of the Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party, serving as Minister of Education in the Democratic Convention coalition governments of Victor Ciorbea, Radu Vasile, and Mugur Isărescu. In January 2001, he replaced Ion Diaconescu as PNŢCD chairman, but resigned from his post in July 2001, amid political tensions in the party. He formed a new party, the Popular Christian Party later in the year. Later, he affiliated with the National Liberal Party.
Marga has authored many volumes on political science, political philosophy, and the philosophy of history. His work touches a variety of subjects, including the philosophical theories of Herbert Marcuse and Jürgen Habermas, the nature of positivism, and trends in contemporary philosophy. He has also lectured on specific subjects, such as the philosophic foundations of transition from communism to a market economy, and the evolution of principles guiding European integration. In later works, he approached topics pertaining to the philosophy of religion, and to the status of religion in the age of globalization. In 2005, Andrei Marga received the Herder Prize in recognition of his contributions.
Biography
Marga was born in Bucharest, attended the University of Cluj and also had a one-year scholarship at the University of Freiburg.In 1993, he became the rector of the Babeş-Bolyai University, of Cluj-Napoca.
As minister, Andrei Marga promoted educational system reform, stressing that the communist legacy had contributed to a rise in political corruption, and indicating that Romanian education lacked staples of professionalism such as underlined purposes, standards in certification, and evaluation criteria. Marga also criticized the system for relying on "original features" and "Romanian traditions", which had been explained as a means to promote national development, but, in effect, had contributed to the gap between Romania and the Western world. He called for modernization, and defined his goals as "increasing the links between education and the economic, administrative and cultural environment, improving the educational infrastructure, eliminating paternalism and populism from educational management, and enhancing international cooperation in education".
The program was criticized by the political opposition, who argued that the system in place was satisfactory, and blamed the existing problems on the post-1989 political and social climate. In parallel, supporters of reform were dissatisfied with its slow pace and inadequate financing.
In early 1998, a controversy erupted in Romanian politics, after the CDR announced that it was planning to stand by the plan to set up separate universities for the Hungarian minority. The decision was in turn based on a promise made to their coalition partner, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania. In this context, Marga took the middle ground, saying that he supported separate Hungarian-language sections but not separate institutions.
Marga joined the PNŢCD in 1999, and became its leader two years later. Party rules prohibited members with less than five years in the party from running for party president. During the party's congress, a few candidates resigned in support of Marga and the party's constitution was amended to allow Marga to run. Marga defeated his conservative opponents with the support of the congress in spite of opposition from the party hierarchy. He was brought in to reform the party and position it to recover from the losses of the December 2000 election. His tenure failed to bring in the rapid changes desired and opposition from prominent conservative elements in his party stifled his ideas. He resigned in July 2001.
In 2002, Marga joined the PNŢCD's former coalition partner, the National Liberal Party. From May to August 2012, Marga served as Foreign Minister in the government of Victor Ponta.
Published works
- Herbert Marcuse. Studiu critic, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1980, 250 p.
- Cunoaştere şi sens. Perspective critice asupra pozitivismului, Editura Politică, Bucharest, 1984, 256 p.
- Acţiune şi raţiune în concepţia lui Jürgen Habermas, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1985, 306 p.
- Raţionalitate, comunicare, argumentare, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1991, 327 p.
- Introducere în metodologia şi argumentarea filosofică, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1992, 194 p.
- Philosophy in the Eastern Transition, Editura Apostrof, Cluj-Napoca, 1993, 200 p.;, Editura Apostrof, Cluj-Napoca, 1995, 283 p.
- Explorări în actualitate, Editura Apostrof, Cluj-Napoca, 1995, 187 p.
- Filosofia unificării europene, Editura Apostrof, Cluj-Napoca, 1995, 257 p.;, Editura Apostrof, Cluj-Napoca, 1997, 392 p.
- Universitatea în tranziţie, Editura Apostrof, Cluj-Napoca, 1996, 209 p.
- Academic Reform. A Case Study, Cluj University Press, Cluj-Napoca, 1997, 100 p.
- Reconstrucţia pragmatică a filosofiei, Polirom, Iaşi, 1998, 193 p.
- Educaţia în tranziţie, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1999, 126 p.
- Relativismul şi consecinţele sale, Editura Studiilor Europene, Cluj-Napoca, 1999, 200 p.
- Anii reformei: 1997–2000, Editura Studiilor Europene, Cluj-Napoca, 2001, 200 p.
- University Reform Today, Cluj University Press, Cluj-Napoca, 2001, 214 p.
- Bildung und Modernisierung, Cluj University Press, Cluj-Napoca, 2001, 206 p.
- Introducere în filosofia contemporană, Polirom, Iaşi, 2002, 560 p.
- Ieşirea din trecut , Editura Alma Mater, Cluj-Napoca, 2002, 264 p.
- Filosofia lui Habermas, Polirom, Iaşi, 2006, 520 p.
- Diagnoze - Articole şi eseuri, Editura Eikon, Cluj-Napoca, 2008, 550 p.
- Dialoguri cu David Ward, HeNoi Paul, Roland Lohkamp, Michel Grimaldi, E.S. Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, Hans Gert Pöttering, E.S. Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, Î.P.S. Bartolomeu Anania, Robert S. Wistrich, Gianfranco Ghirlanda, Édith Cresson, Hans Küng, René-Samuel Sirat, Gianni Vattimo, Cluj University Press, Cluj, 2008
- Philosophia et Theologia Hodie, Editura Fundaţiei pentru Studii Europene, Cluj, 2008
- La Sortie du Relativisme, Editura Limes, Cluj, 2008
- Philosophie der europäischen Einigung, Cluj University Press, Cluj, 2009
- Fraţii mai mari. Intâlniri cu iudaismul, Editura Hasefer, Bucharest, 2009
- Absolutul astăzi. Teologia and filosofia lui Joseph Ratzinger, Editura Eikon, Cluj, 2010
- Criza si după criză, Editura Eikon, Cluj, 2010, 210 p.
- Argumentarea, Editura Academiei Române, Bucharest, 2010
- Challenges, Values and Vision, Cluj University Press, Cluj, 2011
- Profilul si reforma Universităţii clujene, Cluj University Press, Cluj, 2011, 480 p..
- Riflessioni italiane, Editura Grinta, 2011
- După cincisprezece ani. Fifteen Years after , Presa Universitară Cluj, 2011
- România actuală , Editura Eikon, Cluj, 2011
- The Destiny of Europe, Editura Academiei Române, București, 2011
- The Pragmatic Reconstruction of Philosophy, Cluj University Press, Cluj, 2012
- Crizele Modernității Târzii, Editura Academiei Române, București, 2012
- Sincronizarea culturii romane, Editura Tribuna, 2013
- Schimbarea lumii – Globalizare, cultura, geopolitica, Editura Academiei Romane, 2013
- Romania intr-o lume in schimbare, Andrei Marga, interviuri cu Romeo Couti, Ecou Transilvan, 2013
International Prizes
- 2008 Prize of Sara and Haim Ianculovici Foundation – Haifa
- 2005 Herder Prize
- 2003 Gold Medal – University of Tübingen
- 2002 România – Israel Award & The Medal of Jerusalem
State Awards and other International Awards
- 2019 Doctor Honoris Causa – École nationale d'administration publique
- 2011 Doctor Honoris Causa – Baku Pedagogical State University
- 2010 Doctor Honoris Causa – "Alecu Russo" Balty State University
- 2010 Doctor Honoris Causa – "Corvinus" University of Budapest
- 2009 Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana in grado di Cavaliere
- 2008 Honorary Dignitary of Carmel City
- 2008 Doctor Honoris Causa – "Paul Valery" University of Montpellier
- 2006 Doctor of Humane Letters – Plymouth State University of New Hampshire State
- 2006 A Commendation of the Governor of State of New Hampshire
- 2006 Medaglia Pontificia. Anno I. BenedictusXVI
- 2005 Medaglia Pontificia. Anno XXVI. Joannes Paulus II
- 2003 Das Grosse Verdienstkreuz
- 2003 Doctor Honoris Causa – Debrecen University
- 2002 Palmes Académiques – Ministère de l'Education Nationale
- 2000 Gra-Cruz da Ordem National do Merito
- 2000 Doctor Honoris Causa – "Ion Creangă" University of Chişinău
- 2000 Insigne Aureum – University of Maribor
- 1999 Grand Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite