‘We, the People’ and the Future of Democracy: Interdisciplinary Approaches

Between 2012 and 2024, one-fifth of the world’s democracies eroded. During this period, ‘us vs. them’ rhetoric and divisive politics have severely undermined social cohesion. Yet, in some cases, democracy has demonstrated resilience. A crucial factor in the rise and fall of liberal democracies lies in the use and abuse of the concept of “the people.” This idea can either serve to unite civil society or create deep social divisions by pitting “the (true) people” against “the others.” The dichotomy of “the people vs. the others” is a central focus in populism studies. However, the conditions under which “the people” act as a driving force for democratization or become a tool for majoritarian oppression require further comparative and comprehensive analysis. Understanding this dynamic is critical, as it has profound implications for the future of democracy worldwide.

This workshop invites submissions of paper and panel proposals, posters, and artwork on the rise and fall of liberal democracies across different periods and contexts while exploring future implications and potential solutions. By bringing together scholarship from the humanities, arts, social sciences, and policy research, the workshop aims to foster a comprehensive and interdisciplinary dialogue on the challenges of democratic decline and pathways to resilience. Key themes include broader settings and contexts that shape “the people,” influence the human condition, and the building, maintenance, or erosion of democracy, democratic institutions and cultures. Researchers at any career stage, especially early career researchers (PhD students, post-docs, and assistant professors), are encouraged to present completed and ongoing research.

 Potential topics include but are not limited to: 

• Theories and political philosophy on the people, public, popular and civil/civic, elite, volk, Populus, demos, proletariat, sovereign, human condition, constitutional imagination;
• The role and use of “the people” in service of nationalism, racism, populism, or democracy;
• The role of civil society in fostering and sustaining democratic systems and creating inclusive and sustainable democratic institutions;
• Local, global and civilizational approaches to "us vs. them" & illiberal democracy (majoritarianism, “global elites,” minorities, Orientalist or Occidentalist rhetoric, etc.);
• Political economy and psychology shaping the idea of the people and globalization;
• Historical trends, human condition, and future implications for democracy;
• Cultures and subcultures of democracy (community building across differences, public spaces, arts and activism) ;
• The role of the arts (literature, music, film), new media, and AI in shaping “the people” and the people vs. the others;
• Colonial, decolonial, postcolonial, and gendered approaches to the idea of the people;
• Political psychology, civil society, and ways to strengthen domestic and international democratic institutes;
• Bottom-up approaches to global governance and democracy.

 For submissions, please fill out this form before 28 February 2025:

For questions, please email Sumeyye Kocaman at skocaman@populismstudies.org.