Twenty years after the fall of Communism we are witnessing a significant rise in support for right-wing political parties across Europe. In the last European elections the vote shifted dramatically to the right. Extreme-right political parties have fared well recently in the UK, Bulgaria, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and Hungary. All of these countries currently have representatives from far-right parties in the European Parliament. Many analysts suggest that people are turning to extremist groups as a reaction to (what they perceive as) shortcomings of democratic regimes.
In the face of these developments, several questions arise: what resources do democracies have to resist far-right parties? And, more generally, how should liberal democracy respond to illiberal groups? In many cases, these groups challenge the limits of free speech, making it necessary to reflect once again on whether and to what extent “hate speech” should be protected. On a related note, some governments have reacted to extremist groups by restricting the scope of free association or by interfering with the entry policies of some groups. Are there any limits to private association?
Meanwhile, the rise of the extreme right, together with heightened discrimination and segregation of disadvantaged minority groups, have given rise to another set of related questions about what role governments should play in protecting and assisting groups that might not be able to protect themselves or respond to prejudices against them. Is it permissible to restrict privacy rights by registering ethnic data in order to help fight against discrimination? Is it permissible to use such data for the purpose of reverse discrimination?
The conference has two central missions: on the one hand we aim to discuss how the recent ‘turn to the right’ might affect liberal democracy and what can be done about it. On the other hand, we plan to do this by bringing together experts in both political theory, legal studies, public and social policy. We believe that cross-fertilisation is beneficial for all camps of enquiry. Therefore, we invite contributions both from a theoretical and a practical perspective.
The program of the conference:
THURSDAY, 22 JULY
Registration 9:30
Welcome 9:45
Katalin Farkas (Academic Provost, Central European University)
Keynote speech 10:00-11:15
(Chair: Zoltan Miklosi, Central European University)
T. Christiano, University of Arizona
“Democratic Authority and International Institutions”
Comments by Andrew Williams, ICREA, Pompeu Fabra University
Coffee 11:15-11:30
Panel 1 11:30-13:00
Enzo Rossi, University of Wales, Newport
“Justice, Legitimacy and (Normative) Authority for Political Realists”
Emanuela Ceva, Institute for Advanced Study of Pavia
“Resolving, Containing, Managing: What Response to Value Conflicts in Politics?”
Eszter Kollar, John Cabot University
“Ethical Insignificance and Political Significance of the Nation”
Lunch 13:00-14:00
Panel 2 14:00-15:30
Peter Molnar, Central European University
“The Definition of ‘Hate Speech’ and the Contextuality of the Legitimacy-related Argument against its Content-based Regulation”
Richard Winfield, Columbia Law School
“The Vocabulary of Extremism: State-Sponsored Hate Speech Inciting Violence”
Todd Grabarsky, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
“The Fall and Rise of the Rule of Law and Free Speech Limitations in Democratizing Germany”
Coffee 15:30-15:45
Panel 3 15:45-17:15
(Chair: Andres Moles, Central European University)
Alexa Zellentin, University of Graz
“Liberal Neutrality, Equal Citizenship and Cultural Differences”
Nils Holtug, University of Copenhagen
“Secularism and Liberal Neutrality: The Case of Judges and Religious Symbols”
Matthew Clayton, University of Warwick
“Rebutting Arguments for Religiously-Motivated Disobedience: Rawlsian Considerations”
Coffee 17:15-17:30
Panel 4 17:30-19:00
Bernard Rorke, Open Society Institute
“Anti-Roma Speech, Segregation and Discrimination”
Stanislav (Stanko) Daniel, European Roma Rights Centre
“Mainstreaming Racism in Politics”
Laura Ranca, Loughborough University
“Media(ted) Extremism? Addressing Roma Minority Representation in Romania’s Mainstream Media”
Wine reception at CEU Japanese Garden 19:00
FRIDAY, 23 JULY
Keynote Speech 10:00-11:15
Anthony Appiah, Princeton University
“The Theory and Practice of Cosmopolitanism”
Comments by Gyorgy Konrad, former President of PEN, Hungary
Coffee 11:15-11:30
Panel 5 11:30- 13:00
(Chair: Tamas Meszerics, Central European University)
Kristian Ekeli, University of Stavanger
“The Political Rights of Anti-liberal Democratic Groups”
Andres Moles, Central European University
“The Social and the Public Ecology of Freedom Association”
Ekow Yankah, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
“Rawls, Secular Communication and Exclusion”
Lunch 13:00-14:00
Panel 6 14:00-15:30
Willem Korthals Altes, District Court of Amsterdam
“Hate speech, Religion, Discrimination”
Janne Teller, writer
“May Allah Have Mercy on My Country”
Naser Khader (Pending)
Coffee 15:30-15:45
Panel 7 15:45-17:15
Ronald Eissens, International Network Against Cyber Hate, Magenta Foundation
“Liberty, Progress and Extremism: Lessons not Learned”
Suzette Bronkhorst, International Network Against Cyber Hate
“The Internet and How Extremists Use Its Full Potential”
Yaman Akdeniz, Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties
“Regulating Hate Speech on the Internet?”
Coffee 17:15-17:30
Panel 8 17:30-19:00
(Chair: Orsolya Reich, Central European University)
Rastislav Dinic, Central European University
“Tradition, Prejudice and Folk Epistemology”
John Harris, Texas Christian University
“Doubts about Democracy”
Closing dinner at a restaurant in historic downtown Budapest 19:30