The debate on anti-democratic thought begins

The renewed debate on anti-democratic thought that I sought to initiate with my first book has definitely taken off. The SCIS-organized workshop on “Anti-Democratic Thought” on which the book is based took place in September 2007 in Manchester, England. This heavily publicized initial event was followed by a conference organized by the Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics (CAPPE) at the University of Brighton, England, in September 2008, titled “What's the Big Deal about Democracy?”:

www.brighton.ac.uk/CAPPE/Confevents/Profiles/1.html

And now, students at the American Graduate School of International Relations and Diplomacy (AGSIRD) are organizing a Graduate Student Conference, “Questioning Democracy in the 21st Century: Relevant, Redundant, or Risk?”, to take place in Paris, France, on 2-3 June 2009:

www.apsanet.org/content_63384.cfm?navID=603

Their call for papers reads: “Democracy as a form of governance has a tumultuous history. Today, it has entered the jargon of international governance as the buzzword signifying civility and order. Democracy, its definition and content have been highly debated, recommended, exported, and above all, highly criticized. George Bernard Shaw said, 'Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.' And J.S Mill wrote 'If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.'

“The 21st century was inaugurated by an almost complete lack of other dominant forms of governance on the world’s stage. Democracy became the catchword not only for aspirations of peoples but also for foreign policy goals of western governments. But, if history is to teach us anything, it is that nothing is static and nothing is stable.”

Paper proposals for the Paris conference can still be submitted until 30 April 2009.

It is interesting to note that once more this debate is carried on by graduate students, young researchers and professionals rather than by established academics. It is the coming great debate.