German Politics conference: Germany’s (Militant) Democracy

The German Politics Specialist Group (GPSG) of the UK Political Studies Association (PSA) invite all who are interested in German politics to its annual conference, hosted on the University of the West of Scotland's Paisley campus.

The conference will look back at 75 years of wehrhafte Demokratie - militant democracy - and examine past and contemporary challenges and innovations to Germany’s democracy more broadly. Amidst increasing challenges from radical and extremist parties, investigating the institutional and societal mechanisms to protect and innovate democracy is maybe more important than ever. Germany’s militant democracy provides a fruitful background for doing so. As a response to the collapse of Weimar democracy and the Nazi dictatorship, militant democracy has been largely successful whilst not without political controversies. Aiming to examine its origins, development, and consequences, relevant topics include but are not limited to:

· the historical origins and development of the concept of militant democracy,

· the legal and political manifestations of militant democracy, including past and contemporary debates around bans on political parties,

· the economic, social, and political consequences of militant democracy,

· the impact of militant democracy on the development of Germany’s civil society,

· the efficacy of militant democracy for inter- and transnational challenges such as war and climate change,

· militant democracy in comparative perspective and alternative paths to strong and sustainable liberal democracies,

· the place of militant democracy in Germany’s collective memory, and

· the role of militant democracy in political contestation and social movement politics.

The conference is free to all who wish to attend. Coffee, tea and refreshments will be provided during the conference.

Precise room details will be announced shortly. The full programme will be added shortly too. On Thursday, the conference starts at 1pm and ends at 5pm. On Friday, the conference starts at 9.30am and conclude at 3pm.

Host or Publisher Hartwig Pautz