Category Archives: Events

Webinar Series on Democracy in Distress – ‘Holding elections and voting in times of Covid-19’

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When: Th 29-04-2021 16:00 – 17:30
Where: Online

From the series: Democracy in Distress we are presenting the first webinar on ‘Holding elections and voting in times of Covid-19’

 Join us ONLINE VIA THIS LINK

For more than one year now, the Covid-19 crisis has affected our private and public life in ways we would have never foreseen. In particular, the outbreak has had a significant impact on democratic processes all over the world. Elections and votes are no exception to this rule. In some countries, elections have been postponed, votes – even constitutional ones – have been suspended. In others, electoral rules have been dramatically adapted and innovations have taken place to ensure democratic continuity. This first webinar of the Democracies Under Stress series will gather experts from different countries to share their experience and lessons learned of holding elections and voting in time of the Covid-19 crisis.

  • The seminar will start with a global overview of the impacts of Covid-19 on electoral processes presented by Erik Asplund, Programme Officer, International IDEA

His intervention will be followed by the analysis of different case studies by:

  • David Altman, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile will focus on the constitutional process in Chile
  • Edalina Rodgrigues Sanches, Assistant Professor, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal)  will provide a comparative analysis of the situation in sub-Saharan Africa
  • Joe Mathews, California editor for Zócalo Public Square, Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs will reflect on the last US Presidential election and votes at the local level
  • Simon Ootjes, University of Leiden will analyse the impact of the Covid-19 on the General Elections in the Netherlands

Presentations will be followed by a debate with the audience.

Summer School on democratic resilience to cascading disasters

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Dr Clara Egger, in partnership with Dr Francesca Giardini, were granted seed money to develop a new summer school on the dynamics of resilience to cascading disasters. 

Combining advanced theoretical knowledge with practical methodological skills, this summer school will address the determinants of resilience to cascading disasters in an interdisciplinary manner by focusing on organizational settings and institutional arrangements. Participants will be equipped with knowledge and skills allowing them to analyze the political environment of cascading disasters, criticalities in existing organizations, build risk awareness in communities, strengthen disaster management institutions and build more resilient societies. The intensive one-week programme will combine lectures, panel discussions and group work with the aim to offer inter- and trans-disciplinary perspectives on risk awareness and preparedness.

Researchers from the EXCEPTIUS project will particular contribute expertise to the following issues:

  1. What are the analytical tools and frameworks allowing to analyse the dimensions of democratic governance?
  2. How can crisis decision-making be designed in a way that maximizes the containment of the cascade effects of a crisis and minimizes the harms of democratic legitimacy, public trust, and social cohesion?
  3. Which methodological tools can we use to assess the resilience of democracies before, during and after crises?

For more information and to apply