Presentations

Can there be Global Democracy?

University of Cairo, 9 December 2009, Egypt

An initial public presentation of BGD'sConceptualising Global Democracy project took place at Cairo University on 9 December 2009. A panel of leading thinkers from around the world addressed the question: "Can There Be Global Democracy?"

Heba Raouf Ezzat (Cairo University), introduced the Egyptian audience to the Conceptualising Global Democracy project.

Sitiveni Halapua (East-West Center, Honolulu), laid out Melanisian practices of talanoa as a possible frame of intercultural listening and learning for the construction of global democracy.

Patricia Mohammed (University of the West Indies, Trinidad), highlighted the opportunities that building global democracy provided for resistance to colonisation and the forging of new identities.

Moema de Miranda (Brazilian Institute of Social and Economic Analysis, Rio de Janeiro), urged that global democracy required resistance to capitalist domination with new perspectives and new solidarities.

The discussion, that involved around 50 academics, activists, officials and students from Cairo, returned repeatedly to the promises and challenges of developing solidarities for global democracy between the Arab region and other parts of the global south. Other topics raised included the place of faith in global democracy and the role of education in building connections among a would-be global citizenry.

ISA Annual Convention, 16-19 March 2011, Montreal Canada

BGD attended the International Studies Association (ISA) annual convention in Montreal, Canada 16-19 March 2011. ISA is a leading organisation of world politics researchers.

Exceptionally for the conference, BGD offered a panel with 5 participants from 5 world regions. The panel was entitled 'Global Democracy for a Multipolar and Multicultural World'. Papers were presented by Sitiveni Halapua ('Global Democracy as Talanoa'), Pat Mohammed ('Gender Politics and Global Democracy') and Xu Jiajun ('Cooperative-Harmonious Global Democracy from a Chinese Perspective'). Panel chair was Jan Aart Scholte, BGD convener for Western Europe. Discussant was Richard Falk of Princeton University, a leading exponent of global cosmopolitan ideas.

BGD also had a joint booth in the exhibit hall with Transdemos [4]. The booth was hosted by the then BGD programme officer, Andreina Carrillo, who handed out BGD materials and answered questions.