The Future of Democracy?
The Future of Democracy?
8-10 October 2025 at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center/ Public Event at Akademie der Künste/Pariser Platz
We are delighted to announce the program of the 1st Annual Interdisciplinary WZB Conference 2025.
Public Dialogue on 8 October 2025 at Akademie der Künste/Pariser Platz
We will open the conference with a Public Dialogue on the evening of 8 October 2025 at 7:30 pm titled “Democracy at Stake: A Conversation Across the Atlantic”, featuring two influential politicians from both sides of the Atlantic.
From the US this is Beto O’Rourke, a prominent Democratic leader known for his progressive stance on immigration reform, healthcare expansion, gun control, and climate action. He has served as a U.S. Representative from Texas and has run for the U.S. Senate and for the Democratic presidential nomination. Joining him for this conversation is Franziska Brantner, Chair of the Green Party in Germany. Brantner brings extensive expertise in European policy and foreign relations, with experience at national, European, and US levels. Together, they will explore current democratic challenges on both sides of the Atlantic and discuss the prospects of a “Transatlantic Alliance” — considering how the US and Europe can address shared challenges and learn from one another.
The dialogue will be moderated by Anna Sauerbrey, Foreign Editor of the influential German weekly newspaper, Die ZEIT. This event will take place at the Akademie der Künste at Pariser Platz with a view of the Brandenburger Tor.
Find the registration link here.
Scientific conference 9-10 October at WZB
The two-day scientific conference will commence at the WZB (Reichpietschufer 50, 10785 Berlin) on Thursday, 9 October at 8:45 AM.
Over the course of the event, we will feature three inspiring keynotes bridging the disciplines Sociology, Economics, Political Science, and Computer Science:
- “Public Service Deprivation and the Rise of Populism in Europe” by Catherine de Vries, Bocconi University
- “Bridging Divides and Strengthening Democracy with Generative AI” by Christopher Andrew Bail, Duke University
- “Political Stability and Economic Performance” by Tim Besley, London School of Economics and Political Science
We will also feature a Plenary Panel on the “State of US Democracy” on Thursday, with distinguished scholars Chloe Thurston (Northwestern University), Paul Pierson (University of California, Berkeley), and Jacob S. Hacker (Yale University). The panel will be moderated by Daniel Benjamin, President of the American Academy in Berlin.
In addition, 20 thematic sessions featuring presentations across disciplines will explore key challenges to democracy, including authoritarianism, polarization, misinformation, but also resilience, participation, and economic factors shaping its future.
We will conclude on Friday, 10 October at 4:00 pm with a Concluding Panel featuring Pratap Mehta from Princeton University, together with the three organizers Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, Daniel Ziblatt and Michael Zürn.