NORFACE GOVERNANCE -

Democratic politics and governance in Europe are facing turbulent times. Party systems have crumbled or been substantially changed, and so have citizen attachments to government, political parties, and democratic procedures. With the upcoming 2024 European Parliament (EP) elections, European political leaders must be acutely aware of these challenges.

In this stakeholder workshop, scholars from across Europe will provide their insights on the future of democratic governance. In addition, it will provide a space for conversation between academics and practitioners, facilitating the integration of insights and knowledge into practice.

The workshop aims to tackle four core challenges Europe faces in light of the upcoming EP elections: (1) the role of disinformation and media change, (2) challenges to citizen participation and representation, (3) fragmentation and political polarisation, and (4)the fundamentally changing role of institutions, such as the EU, today. Each challenge is addressed in a focused roundtable panel offering a mix of academic and stakeholder inputs.

This workshop offers a close networking opportunity between academics and Brussels-based stakeholders that will build the pathway for knowledge and skills exchange. This way, evidence-based decision-making in preparing for the 2024 elections is enabled, and scholars understand how their work can directly impact democratic processes across the EU.

The workshop is co-organized by the Scientific Coordination Team and the research project EUINACTION. Both are part of the sixth NORFACE transnational programme on “Democratic governance in a turbulent age,” which consists of 14 international research projects – all of which will be represented at the workshop. NORFACE stands for “New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Cooperation in Europe” and is a partnership of national research funding agencies in Europe dedicated to leading and developing opportunities for scientists in the area of social and behavioral sciences.

The workshop will take place on June 8th, 2023, and run the full day (approximately 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) at the University Foundation in Brussels. Lunch and coffee will be provided