According to Article 18 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights ‘everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion’. Religious freedom as a fundamental right has been guaranteed under international law by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights since 1966 (art. 18). At the regional level, the European Convention […]
These are dangerous times for democracy. Critically reflecting on democracy’s inherent conceptual uncertainties and practical challenges while its foundations are under threat might seem like a reckless academic indulgence. It is important to remember though that the process of questioning democracy is a vital part of its identity and a core source of its strength. […]
On 1 October 2024, eighty-eight members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted Resolution 2569 based on a report on ‘Missing migrants, refugees and asylum seekers – A call to clarify their fate’ (Document 16037) prepared by Mr Julian Pahlke. Twenty-nine voted against and four abstained. In its plenary formation, PACE […]
The Ukrainian president’s speech on 24 September 2024, at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly focused on several key issues: nuclear security, the Peace Formula and Peace Summit, the peace plan proposed by Brazil and China, and Russian imperialism[1]. The last two points are crucial within the context of other statements, including one […]
Disinformation, which refers to false or misleading content that is spread with the intention to deceive or secure economic or political gain and which may cause public harm [1], has long been a weapon in political campaigns. However, the advent of AI has dramatically increased both the efficiency and scale of these operations, opening up […]
Reflecting on the rise of far-right and hard-right politics and on their electoral success over the summer in the EU, France, Thuringia, and Austria, this paper observes that human beings considered solely in their humanity are invisible for democracy. As noted by Rosanvallon, ‘invisibility’ of the national citizens is a root problem of today’s democracy […]
“Representative government, vulgo democracy” Norberto Bobbio From a descriptive point of view, the only one I consider in the following remarks, the expression “representative democracy” mostly refers to the political regimes currently predominant in Western societies – a collective expression including also Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The term democracy, originating from the […]
This blog explores the role of genetic testing in adults as a form of preventative medicine and examines whether it borders on modern-day eugenics. Eugenics is a theory and practice for improving the human species using selective mating to eliminate unwanted genes and maintain desirable traits. Genetic testing focusses on improving health and is a […]
Convened by Dario Castiglione (University of Exeter, Politics) and Catherine Dupre (University of Exeter, Law) this two-day online workshop is meant as an introduction to the work of the Observatory of Representation. International Centre for the study of State, Citizenship and Democracy. Formally established in January 2024, this Inter-University and multidisciplinary Centre focusses on political representation and […]
The Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Network grew out of a startling realisation. In 1996, Evelin Lindner, a medical doctor and a psychologist born in Germany, went to all university libraries she came across, expecting to find a great amount of research on the emotion of humiliation. After all, history lessons had taught her that […]