In a growing number of cities, citizens are channelling their frustration with existing citizen engagement processes into the creation of urban alliances and/or citizen platforms that bring together diverse civil society actors to articulate and pursue common interests. In the first global research project of its kind, we have already identified over 100 urban alliances across the world.

Join five of the world’s top scholars who’ll speak on the question of why city citizen activism is an essential ingredient for reviving democratic practice, at a time when civic voices appear under threat. They will explore stories from places as diverse as Moscow, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Barcelona, Vallejo California and Sydney.

Speakers:
Dr Amanda Tattersall (University of Sydney)
Professor Helga Leitner (University of California Los Angeles)
Professor Simon Tormey (University of Sydney)
Associate Prof Kurt Iveson (University of Sydney)
Associate Professor Mark Davidson (Clark University)

When:6.00pm-7.30pm, Thursday 22 February 2018
Where: Eastern Avenue Lecture Theatre 315
Eastern Avenue, The University of Sydney

More info and REGISTRATIONS: click here 

Is Democracy Dead or Alive? What democracy exactly are we supposed to nurture?
Jean-Paul Gagnon, University of Canberra; Clare Woodford, University of Brighton; Dawn Brancati, Columbia University; Eva Cherniavsky, University of Washington; Nadia Urbinati, Columbia University, and Youngho Cho, Sogang University

Democracy takes many forms, some of them democracy in name only. Confusion and misappropriation complicate the public struggle for the democracy to come, but this challenge is always unending.

Is Democracy Dead or Alive? Democracy has a future, if we rethink and remake it
Alice el-Wakil, University of Zürich; Anna Szolucha, Polish Academy of Sciences; David A. Teegarden, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York; Graham Smith, University of Westminster; Nancy L. Rosenblum, Harvard University; Peter Wilkin, Brunel University London, and Ryusaku Yamada, Soka University

Is it really time to eulogise democracy, or are we rather on the cusp of a new phase in its long and varied life?

Ten things Australia can do to be a human rights hero
Carolien van Ham, UNSW; Lisa Hill, University of Adelaide, and Louise Chappell, UNSW

On Human Rights Day, and with Australia set to take up a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, here's a must-do list for this country to become a credible advocate for human rights.


SDN in 2017 

Read SDN's 2017 Annual Report here