The Academic Conference Bremen 2012 − The States They Are A-Changing

The programm can be downloaded here.

The Department of Political Science in Bremen is known for its research in international relations and global governance. Scholars of political science, law, sociology and economics work together in the Collaborative Research Center TranState to determine if, and precisely how, pressure from globalization and liberalization has changed core institutions and functions over the past thirty years that defined the classical nation state. The Academic Conference’s topic is connected to this research agenda. To paraphrase Bob Dylan – The States They Are A-Changing, and in keeping with this motto, we are going to concentrate on three different levels of the evolving nations state. Our main question is: Who governs whom?

• 23rd of April: States or Economy - Who governs?
• 24th of April: Nation states in international politics - Who governs?
• 25th of April: States or Citizens - Who governs?

At the end of the 3rd day, we will finally merge these three areas and try to answer the question: Who rules the world – the economy, the state or the citizens? We are looking for scientists as well as for practitioners from national and international organizations, who will share their research and practical experiences in lectures, workshops and panel debates. Participation in intercultural and scientific exchange of opinions, ideas and experiences between the participants and the invited scholars are important concerns.
Each day has a further specified focus:

23rd of April: States or Economy - Who governs?
At least since the Club of Rome report on the Limits of Growth (1972), capitalistic economies, especially, have been criticized from a diversity of ideological viewpoints. Critics claim, for example, that there is an inherent contradiction between the necessity for growth and the scarcity of natural resources. Is welfare possible without economic growth? Or is there a necessity for growth – and what would this imply for the relationship between the state and the economy?
A growing GNP is one of the central matters of academic macroeconomics as well as in political debates - bigger is better. But what does the GNP tell us about economic development and which alternative indicators exist? Should the political system neglect the GNP and concentrate on other aspects? Should the state introduce economic stagnation or even „de-growth“ as a new societal aim?
And if so, how could effective policies be implemented? Is “the market” able to pursue these possible aims by itself? Is it realistic to assume a rethinking of consumers and entrepreneurs without regulation? And turning to the financial market: Is it just another market, or is there an even more aggressive disposition for endless growth which calls for further answers?

24th of April: Nation states in international politics - Who governs?
On the 2nd day of the conference, we are going to ask whether and how states influence other states. The focus will lie on the mechanisms through which industrialized countries exert influence on countries in the global south. The financial dependence of so-called “developing states” on international donors goes hand in hand with political and ideational dependencies. Development organizations and departments as well as the IMF identify goals which further lead to demands and conditions for development aid. Applying these demands and conditions, considerable influence on partner states’ sovereignty is exerted. We will ask for consequences on democratic legitimacy, on concepts of power and authority in development politics, on aims of development aid, and on global human rights politics.

25th of April: States or Citizens - Who governs?
On the 3rd day, the question of power relations will focus on citizens and their state. "Democracy" means governance by the people, and therefore this day’s topic is directly connected to the question whether modern democracy meets its inherent normative goals. In 2011, debates on democracy and democratization intensified. While Arab countries may be on the way to democracy after the "Arab spring", Europeans doubt the legitimacy of their democratic systems. Is national democracy under pressure from European Integration and other processes of internationalization? Is national democracy old-school? What are the normative implications of alternative models of democratic processes, for example, by lot? What is and what could be the role of the Internet? Is direct democracy fairer in terms of social justice? Which kind of democratic systems could be appropriate for Arabian countries? These questions on possible changes away from the democratic "status quo" will be discussed in workshops under the motto Exits from Democracy.
Subsequently, we are going to use the participants’ interculturality and ability for innovation to open a Dialogue on Democracy.