The Anarchy of Democracy and Realpolitik
Global Center for Advanced Studies, School of Law. University of Athens
Global Center for Advanced Studies (GCAS) First World Conference on the subject “Democracy Rising: From Insurrections to ‘Event’”
Margaret Thatcher’s slogan, “There is no alternative” was a declaration of war that installed the horrors of neoliberal policies that have eroded and systematically undermined democratic and public-based projects for more than 30 years. The global financial crisis of 2008 exposed these neoliberal policies that have paved the way for the rise of an untouchable oligarchical class whose top 80 members now possess more wealth than the bottom half of the world’s population. It is now abundantly clear that neoliberalism has accelerated radical inequality and at the same time forced the world to conform to their unquestionable, anti-democratic policies, lest even greater disasters befall us.
Faced with no alternative, on their terms, in 2011 a new series of insurrections began to emerge from the Occupy movement to Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, to Spain, Ireland, and Greece. The recent historic victory of Syriza brings forth the message that citizens must decide their own future and thus the reassertion of the primacy of politics takes place again in the world. In the wake of Syriza’s victory and the hope it articulates for the world, we propose a conference comprised of academics and activists from the birthplace of democracy, Athens, Greece.
The purpose of the conference is to bring together intellectuals and activists to think through and propose strategic alternatives for democracy and its future.
Thematics:
Neoliberalism and Austerity Measures
Philosophy and Political Struggles
The Global Debt Crisis
Capitalism & Education
Democracy & Activism
European Union & the Euro-Zone
The Rise of Fascism in Europe
Neoliberalism and Globalization
Uniting the Workers with the Intelligentsia
The Hope of Left Governance
The Rise of Podemos in Spain
Organizing Locally & Globally
Inequality & Democracy
Website: https://globalcenterforadvancedstudies.org/
For a Master List of Participants please see Democracy Rising Conference INDEX PAGE
Language/Translation: Greek and English
Speakers
Conference Greetings by: Alain Badiou (GCAS President), Gabriel Sakellaridis (Central Spokesperson of the Greek Government) Aristides Baltas (Greek Minister of Education), Anastasios Kourakis (Deputy Minster of Education), Mihalis Spourdalakis (Professor of Political Sociology & Dean of the School of Economics & Political Science, University of Athens)
Plenary Speakers: Tariq Ali, Maria Aristodemou, Bruno Bosteels, Jodi Dean, Costas Douzinas, Stathis Kouvelakis, Paul Mason, Maria Nikolakaki, Leo Panitch
Featured Speakers: Athena Athanasiou, Peter Bratsis, Alex Callinicos, Aris Chatzistefanou, Creston Davis, Paolo Gerbaudo, Stathis Gourgouris, Sigrid Hackenberg, Laura Hanna, Srecko Horvat, Azfar Hussain, Athina Karatzogianni, Kostis Karpozilos, Theodore Koulouris, Claudia Landolfi, Spyros Marketos, Sandro Mezzadra, John Milios, Aamir R. Mufti, Rodrigo Guimaraes Nunes, Neni Panourgia, Julie Resche, Jerome Roos, Gabriel Sakellaridis, Lola Sánchez, Helena Sheehan, Lenart Skof, Angeliki Spiropoulou, Stavros Stavrides, Igor Stiks, Bhaskar Sunkara, Kenneth Surin, Astra Taylor, Peter Thompson, Giovanni Tusa, Kees van der Pijl,Leonidas Vatikiotis, Christoforos Vernadakis, Katarina Peović Vuković, Hilary Wainwright, Workers @ Vio.Me and special guests from Syriza and Podemos.
Update informations on programme and speakers: https://globalcenterforadvancedstudies.org/event/democracy-rising-world-conference-2015/