1st Seminar // March 2021

The so-called “crisis” of liberal democracy is one of the most contentious issues in both political science and public opinion. Questions concerning the impact of new technologies on political communication, and the ensuing reor-ganization of public space; the rise of populism with the proliferation of “strong men” and parties that question some of the assumptions of liberal civic cultu-re; the increasing technocratization of political decisions; the expansion of the supranational framework of political action; or even the effects of the global pandemic, which has challenged conventional approaches regarding how to deal with collective problems, dominate contemporary public discourse. Some take these new challenges as being symptomatic of a crisis in our traditional form of government; for others it speaks of the ways in which democracy is na-turally adapting to social change without dire warnings. In this seminar, leading specialists will discuss key issues that deal with the shifting landscape of democracy today and on the road ahead.