As the era of liberal democracies and the social democratic century wanes, with communist regimes now a distant memory, political life is marked by discontent, dissatisfaction, and protest by the many against the few. Many feel alienated from the elite, while both the working and middle classes – once pillars of democracy, social cohesion, and shared civic values – worry about economic marginalization.
Venice International University is pleased to host the conference organized by Reset Dialogues and Boston College, which invites philosophers, political theorists, sociologists, and historians to discuss whether democracy survive polarization, inequality & loss of trust?
Join leading thinkers at Reset DOC’s international symposium to debate the future of democracy.
With: Michael Sandel, Ananya Vajpeyi, Adrian Pabst, Karen Barkey, Jonathan Laurence, Charles Sabel & John Milbank
Open to students, researchers & professors.
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Discontent once expressed through unions, organized pluralism, and democratic parties led to negotiations that addressed or contained grievances. Today, however, we face radical polarization, widespread political rejection, disillusionment with democracy, and the growing appeal of fundamentalist, extremist, and anti-liberal views.
Efforts to restore public life and past social negotiations to address crises like wages, housing, health, and security no longer seem as effective. Fears related to wages and other costs have increased everywhere, with growing demographic concerns, especially in Europe. The political and economic elite’s failure to respond is seen as deafness, arrogance, or incompetence, while inequalities between the wealthy few and the struggling many continue to widen. This fuels social resentment, stagnates mobility, and undermines meritocratic ideals, leading to radicalized divisions that weaken democratic deliberation.
Political philosophy faces a major challenge in understanding why democracies, after their long rise, now seem to be heading toward decline. With classical frameworks of social conflict resolution – such as political parties, unions, and associations – no longer relevant, what new paradigm should we adopt to address the evolving conflict between the many and the few?
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