(Virtual) How Democracy Defenders Win Elections: A Transatlantic Discussion
How Democracy Defenders Win Elections: A Transatlantic Discussion
There is tremendous concern in North America and across Europe over the rise of nationalist anti-democratic politic movements and the leaders who stoke voter resentments in their bids to take and keep power. There are, however, other inspiring examples of where leaders who do want to make difference in people's lives, and work to strengthen, not weaken democracy, win over voters, and win elections—even in regions that more often support polarizing populists.
You are invited to join in a transatlantic virtual discussion of how democracy defenders can and do win elections hosted by the Jefferson Education Society, Erie, Pennsylvania, as part of theTransforming Industrial Heartlands Initiative.
The event will feature new analysis of last fall's Polish Election in which Donald Tusk and coalition defeated right wing populists and are now restoring a democracy purposefully eroded for years.
- Georgetown University scholars Lucas Kreuzer and Poland's Kamil Lungu will share findings from their new paper analyzing the Polish Election and lessons from the Polish experience relevant for democracy defenders everywhere.
Kreuzer and Lungu will be joined by:
- Robin Johnson, Professor at Monmouth College in Illinois, USA, host of Heartland Politics, who has done similar path-breaking work on how Democrats can and do win in "Trump-country."
- Andy Westwood, Professor of Government Practice, University of Manchester, UK, and Advisor to Labour Governments, bringing similar insights into how regional leaders in struggling English geographies not only win and keep office but rebuild community pride and economic vitality.
- Moderated by John Austin, Brookings Institution Nonresident Senior Fellow, and Coordinator of the Transforming Industrial Heartlands Initiative and author of seminal work on heartland economic revival in democracies.
Location: Zoom Webinar / JES Facebook Live
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 15 at 11 a.m. EST
Admission: FREE
The Industrial Heartlands Transformation Initiative is a transatlantic collaborative partnership dedicated towards closing geographic economic divides and reconnecting residents of rural and former industrial heartland communities to economic opportunity. The initiative works to return community pride and optimism about the future, and diminish the appeal of polarizing, resentment-driven, isolationist and ethnonationalist political movements that threaten our democracies.
The initiative, its learning exchanges, convenings, events, study tours, presentations, publications, and other learning products, are conducted with partners including the Brookings Institution; the Georgetown University BMW Center for German and European Studies; the Jefferson Educational Society; the Ruhrkonferenz of North-Rhine Westphalia; Policy Manchester at the University of Manchester, U.K.; the University Allianz Ruhr; the German Consulate General in Chicago; the University of Michigan; the European Commission Directorate of Regional and Urban Policy; and the Committee of the Regions of the European Union, among others.
