The myth of sudden death
Although it makes for a great dramatic effect, the theories of the sudden death of democracy disregard the gradual erosion and capture of institutions, and the role of the populace – argues political scientist John Keane.
Earlier this year, John Keane started off a discussion on the death of democracies in Eurozine’s focal point ‘The writing on the wall’. Since then, the pace of a democracy breakdown have been discussed by several authors. Together with editor-in-chief Réka Kinga Papp, Keane discusses his article ‘How democracies die, fast and slow’ and the lack of biospheric representation as a democratic death threat.
Read John Keane’s articles in Eurozine, including the debate on the death of democracies discussed in the episode :
Bloodless democracy?
A response to John Keane
People power?
A reply to James Miller
Anthropocentrism and democracy in planetary times
A response to John Keane
How democracies transform, fast and slow
A response to John Keane
This episode is an edited version of a longer conversation, which is available in its entirety only to our Patrons. You can get access to the full episode, and more giveaways by becoming a Patron for as little as €5 a month on Patreon.
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Published 26 May 2023
Original in English
First published by Eurozine
© Eurozine
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In focal points
- Living dead democracy
- Why Parliaments?
- Spelling out a law for nature
- The end of Tunisia’s spring?
- Protecting nature, empowering people
- Albania: Obstructed democracy
- Romania: Propaganda into votes
- The myth of sudden death
- Hungary: From housing justice to municipal opposition
- Czech Republic: Velvet contradictions
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