The severe economic crisis in Europe during the past years has brought renewed intensity to the debate around the crisis of democracy itself and the capacity of existing institutions to empower citizens, upholding the democratic promise for popular sovereignty. A significant part of this debate has revolved around what is described as a challenge to Europe by populist and anti-establishment parties. Indeed, during the years of the crisis, there has been an unprecedented rise of such parties throughout the continent. However, if the discussion on European populist and anti-establishment parties was until yesterday mostly targeted at the Right of the political spectrum – on nationalist, xenophobic or even extremist parties – the picture has now changed due to the impressive performance of challenger parties of the Radical Left. Parties that in sharp contrast to their right-wing counterparts, put forth egalitarian claims for social inclusion and emancipation, as well as demands for radical democratisation against austerity and neoliberal deregulation.
While there is excellent research on the role and impact of European right-wing parties, only very little has been published on the role, importance, quality and prospects of the European Radical Left. Undoubtedly, understanding the conditions of emergence and the novel characteristics of such parties, their relation to governance and political power, as well as debating their role in a changing Europe, constitutes a timely priority for political researchers of the Left and for any citizen who is interested in the future of European democracy.
Within this context,the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung in collaboration with the School of Political Sciences, are organizing a two-day International Workshop with the aim to develop an in-depth comparative and critical dialogue on the radical left phenomenon in today’s Europe, bringing together younger researchers, but also internationally acclaimed senior scholars.
Working language: English (no translation facilities)
Further Information:
Free entrance.
Please register here: https://rlworkshop.wufoo.com/forms/zjphiy31dkbcqz/
