Upholding Democracy: Institutional Legitimacy, Governance & Social Cohesion

Keynote speaker: Seamus Boland - President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
About this Event

UCD Social Sciences annual lecture event entitled “– Upholding Democracy: Institutional Legitimacy, Governance, and Social Cohesion” will take place on Wednesday, 4th November 2026 from 4pm-6pm at University College Dublin. The Keynote speaker for the event is Seamus Boland - President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the event will also include a moderated panel discussion.

The core themes of the event closely align with the EU’s strategic priorities and with a core research theme - Democracy, Governance and Justice - of the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law. This event comes at a critical juncture in an era shaped by rapid geopolitical shifts, socioeconomic pressures, and an evolving technological landscape, the core tenets of democracy face unprecedented challenges.

This event aims to foster dialogue on reinforcing democratic resilience by bringing together European policy leaders, key civil society actors and academic expertise and will appeal to UCD students, alumni, industry partners, and the wider public.
The keynote address will be followed by a moderated panel discussion bringing together perspectives from academia, civil society, human rights and European policy.

Agenda

🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:30 PM
4PM- Registration and refreshments available
🕑: 04:30 PM - 05:15 PM
4.30PM- Keynote Address - Seamus Boland President of EESC
🕑: 05:15 PM - 05:45 PM
5:15PM- Panel Discussion
🕑: 05:45 PM - 06:00 PM
5:45PM- Questions