Theo Jung

In the context of a two-day workshop organized by my colleague Paulina Gulińska-Jurgiel and myself about methodological developments in the historical scholarship on parliaments, we present a public panel discussion (in German) titled

The Endangered Legislative? Historical and Contemporary Challenges in Dialogue

With our guests

Dr. Claudia Gatzka (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg)

Prof. Dr. Thomas Lindenberger (Hannah-Arendt-Institut für Totalitarismusforschung / TU Dresden)

Dr. Danny Schindler (Institut für Parlamentarismusforschung)

we discuss the current state of parliamentary politics against the background of historical crises and developments.

Abstract

With every state and federal election, debates about the state of democracy are reignited. Ardent debates circle around justified fears of far-right parties entering parliaments and the associated risk of the institution being undermined or disempowered. While the legislature is often seen as the last fortress of democratic rule, it also increasingly appears as a fragile construct. But what is its real status today? What can parliaments and the people involved in them actually do against the onslaught of opposing forces? What instruments do they have at their disposal to protect themselves and democracy? Or should we look for alternative formats and ways of democratic representation that go beyond the concept of a legislative as the only legitimate representation of the people, enabling a different kind of social participation without falling into the trap of populism?

The discussion, which is open to all interested (free of charge), takes place in the university’s Aula (Löwengebäude), on June 25, 6 – 8 pm.