Throwback - Democracy and Vulnerability [December 3 and 4]

A throwback at the Democracy and Vulnerability seminar

The seminar “Democracy and Vulnerability,” held on December 3 and 4, distinguished itself through the high academic quality of its presentations and the breadth of its discussions. It brought together an audience of researchers, teachers, students, and professionals for a structured reflection on the vulnerabilities of contemporary democracies.

The first day, dedicated to theoretical and conceptual foundations, was marked in particular by Philippe Raynaud’s opening lecture on “Contemporary Democracies Facing Vulnerabilities.” This was followed by Stephen Launay’s presentation on “Democracy and Vulnerability Through the Lens of Contemporary Liberalism and Illiberalism.” The contributions of Maxence Brischoux on the internal divisions of democracies and Emmanuel Cherrier on the question of populism also contributed to rigorous academic debates. Eric Lair’s presentation on the situation in Colombia provided a particularly illuminating empirical perspective.

The second day was devoted to contemporary applications and perspectives. Olivier Chopin's lecture, which examined the state's capacity for action, and Jérôme Roudier's presentation on Europe's vulnerability in light of Machiavelli, sparked in-depth discussions. The presentations by Lina Penagos on vulnerability as a test for democracies, Rachel Binhas on media pluralism, and Claude Habib on women's vulnerability provided further insights into current societal issues.

The closing roundtables of each day provided an opportunity to synthesize the contributions and identify avenues for future research and cooperation. The seminar thus contributed to structuring a multidisciplinary space for reflection and strengthening a network of actors committed to analyzing the links between democracy and vulnerability.