Videos from our 2019 General Conference and Roundtables

Couldn't join us for our recent General Conference in Wrocław? No problem.

We've made some of the highlights available on our YouTube channel

Civil Society and Democracy: A Reconsideration

Plenary Lecture by Grzegorz Ekiert (Harvard University)

Grzegorz Ekiert discusses misunderstandings of the concept and the asserted role civil society has in shaping political and economic outcomes. He contrasts the established consensus on the role of civil society as a political project and a set of normative principles with disagreements about how civil society is defined and measured, how it evolves over time, what dimensions of politics and public policy it shapes and what are the mechanisms through which it affects the quality of democracy, resistance to authoritarianism and consolidation of authoritarian rule. 

In short, he looks at what we have learned during the four decades of studying civil society and its relation to states and political regimes, and considers whether it is time to give up this research program.

Sustainable Development in a Contested World

Roundtable Chaired by Agnieszka Makarewicz-Marcinkiewicz (University of Wrocław)

Sustainable development aims to develop mechanisms that allow civilisation's progress without degradation of the environment and natural resources, while pursuing the socioeconomic aspirations of contemporary and future societies. This Roundtable is built on a holistic paradigm of sustainable development in the sense of simultaneous, collision-free implementation of all aspects of development leading to the wellbeing of societies. 

Speakers

Margaret Haderer Institute for Social change and Sustainability, University of Vienna
Sherilyn MacGregor University of Manchester
Peter Newell University of Sussex
Peter North University of Liverpool

Face(t)s of Populism: Varieties of Trump Cards

Roundtable Chaired by Monika Wichłacz (University of Wrocław)

Is the current far-right turn in Europe its new Zeitgeist, the radical transformation of political landscape, or just a temporary systemic crisis that soon will be overcome? This Roundtable tries to capture the nature, scope and consequence of this democratic crisis in Europe.

Speakers

Lenka Bustikova-Siroky Arizona State University
Ireneusz Pawel Karolewski University of Wrocław
Aleks Szczerbiak University of Sussex
Sofia Vasilopoulou University of York

Keywords: Civil Society, Democracy, Development, Extremism, Populism