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From Jonathan Pugh, Director, the Spaces of Democracy and the Democracy of Space network This event has been organised by Chantal Mouffe (co-initiator of the Spaces of Democracy and the Democracy of Space network). The Future of Democracy: Prospects and Challenges Which way forwards for the European Union Friday, 13 November 2009, 10.30am to 1pm The Pavilion, University of Westminster 115 Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW RSVP Charlotte Regan Email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Round-table discussion Thomas Ferenczi (Paris) Fernand Keuleneer (Brussels) Kalypso Nicolaidis (Oxford) Frieder Otto Wolf (Berlin) The Round-table will be chaired and introduced by Chantal Mouffe (London) Now that the Irish have finally voted in favour of the ratification of the Lisbon treaty, a decisive step in the consolidation of the European Union might hopefully take place. After years of uncertainty - initiated by the rejection of the Constitutional Treatise by the French and the Dutch - concerning the future of the European institutions, the possibility now exists to envisage the future in a more optimistic way. But a successful future requires fostering among the people of Europe a real allegiance towards the European project. To be sure, with the financial crisis many people began to realize the importance of being in the EU, however its popularity remains at a very low ebb. A few decades ago things were different though, and the European project appeared as expressing the aspirations of many people and as able to awaken their enthusiasm. What has happened to bring about this change? Which mistakes have been made to explain the current disaffection with the EU? Many explanations have been offered which range for the geo-political transformations linked to the end of the Cold War, the resistances against a too rapid process of enlargement, imposed from the top without popular consultation. The criticism most often rehearsed is the lack of legitimacy of the EU due to its democratic deficit. What can be done to reverse this trend? Which model should European unification adopts? How could common forms of identification be established among the citizens of Europe, so as to mobilize their affects around a European vision that does not negates their differences? Those are some of the issues that will be discussed by a panel composed of specialists from various countries and several disciplines. For "The Spaces of Democracy and the Democracy of Space" network website http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org<http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org/> For Radical Politics Today magazine http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org/resources/publications/magazine/magazine.html<http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org/resources/publications/magazine.magazine.html> <http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org/resources/publications/magazine/magazine.html> For more on the book What is radical politics today?, published in 2009 by Palgrave MacMillan http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org/resources/resources_bookstoread.html Jonathan Pugh Senior Academic Fellow Director "The Spaces of Democracy and the Democracy of Space" network School of Geography, Politics and Sociology 5th Floor Claremont Tower Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU United Kingdom Honorary Fellow, The Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster