International Conference „Democracy in Crisis: Tocqueville´s Theory of Democracy and its Relevance in the Age of (Global) De-Democratization in Regensburg 28.05-30.05.2025

Liberal democracy is in crisis worldwide. Not only in comparatively young democracies, but also in (time-honored) democracies such as the USA, the foundations on which liberal, constitutional democracy is based are crumbling. As early as the 19th century, Tocqueville presented a ground-breaking theory of democracy and examined the bright and dark sides of democracy as a form of society and government in America and Europe.While current political theory (especially radical democratic theory) concentrates on criticism of liberal democracy and its swan song, we want to revive Tocqueville’s theory of democracy and use it in four systematic panels to ask whether liberal democracy can be saved rather than abandoned. The aim is to build a bridge between an analysis of current phenomena of democratic crisis on the one hand and the reconstruction of central elements of Tocqueville’s theory on the other.

To attend the conference, please send an email to ricarda.wuensch@ur.de before the 15th of May 2025.
Organizers: Dr. Sarah Rebecca Strömel; Prof. Dr. Eva Helene Odzuck
Location: Haus der Begegnung, Hinter der Grieb 8, 93047 Regensburg