Workshops and Events
28.-29. June 2024: Conference on the Future of Indian Democracy
The Department of Political Science, South Asia Institute organized a conference titled ‘After Elections: The Future of Indian Democracy’ on June 28-29, 2024. The conference brought together eminent academics, politicians, activists, journalists and practitioners to discuss the implications of the 2024 general elections in India and their impact for India's democratic future.
September 2023: Democratic Recession in South Asia
During the two-day workshop, the participants took an in-depth look at the state of democracy in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. At a time when more and more states are turning away from democracy, we analysed whether these countries are still considered democracies or are already in a state between democracy and authoritarianism that could be described as competitively authoritarian. In such regimes, those in power use democratic mandates to weaken the opposition but relinquish complete control, which offers democratic forces opportunities for resistance.
The workshop focussed on how states attack or protect democratic institutions and civil society. The role of NGOs and social movements in the fight against authoritarian tendencies and the impact of new laws on civil society's freedom of action were analysed. The aim was to gain in-depth insights into each country and condense these into two chapters per country to produce a volume for the prestigious Oxford series. This approach aimed to promote a meaningful dialogue on the state and future of democracy in South Asia through high standards of scholarship.
May 2017: Workshop on ‘Governing India’
India provides a laboratory for comparison, where narratives of successful and failed governance can reveal the conditions under which citizen-centred governance is possible. This workshop invited policy makers, public intellectuals, technocrats and scholars who have studied governance in India to reflect on and discuss how India conducts its governance. The workshop provided an insight into the interactions between the political executive, the technocracy (bureaucracy) and civil society groups that create opportunities for the welfare of citizens in India.