Why are universities spaces that aspire to be open and democratic? The present workshop seeks to unpack how the open, democratic, and inclusive organization of universities is intrinsically connected to knowledge production and transmission as well as the function of social critique. It will further discuss the pedagogical dimension of democratic practices at the university. The workshop will also address the effects of enduring and emerging forms of “closure” and anti-democratic tendencies on the central tasks of higher education as well as the implications for society at large. In particular, it will ask how we can keep the university as a space of open debate in the face of emerging external and internal challenges. All these questions become ever more urgent in the context of the resurgence of authoritarianism across the globe and the role of universities in countering these tendencies.
The workshop will explore these issues in a series of three sessions which will include presentations and roundtable discussions open to all participants. You can download a detailed program here and you can find out more information about the workshop and speakers on our website. To attend the workshop in person, please register by filling in this form. You can also join the event online via Zoom.
The workshop is organized in collaboration with the conference “Keeping the Doors Open. Access Programs and the Third Mission of Universities” (November 17-18). The conference will review the current state of university access programs, exploring ways to reinvent the university and reestablish its relevance to broader society by rethinking the connection of its research and teaching activities to the communities that have traditionally been excluded from higher education. You can learn more about the conference and its program here and register for in-person following this link. You can also follow the conference via Zoom.
Speakers: Akile Ahmet (LSE), Ian Cook (CEU), Simon Hayhoe (University of Bath/ LSE/ University of Edinburgh), Tamara Kamatovic (CEU), Helen Murray (University of Sussex), Snježana Prijić-Samaržija (University of Rijeka), Lee-Ann Sequeira (LSE), and Leyla Safta-Zecheria (West University of Timisoara/ CEU Democracy Institute).
The conference and the workshop will conclude with a joint closing session (17.30-18.00) which you can follow via Zoom.