LAB 3: A polarised democracy, a sick democracy?
7 November 2024 - 09.00-11.00 / Palais de l'Europe / Salle 9
Interpretation FR/EN
Sponsored by
A new crucial question arises within modern societies: the issue of their polarization and the impact it has on the health of democracy. As political, social, and economic divides widen, we need to analyse whether a divided society can still function as a healthy and resilient democracy. What can we do to stem polarisation and strengthen the democratic fabric? Isn't it also said that divergent opinions and diversity forge the richness of our societies? At what point does diversity become polarising, and how can we ensure a fair balance?
Moderator:
Discussant:
Mural Art on a Path to Democracy, Area Demos
Spain
Area Demos, a Spanish think tank, aims to improve the quality of democracy and reduce polarisation and political disinterest in our societies. "Mural Art on a Path to Democracy" is an innovative educational project introducing elementary school children to democratic values and electoral systems over the course of a day. The day begins with the election of the mural to be painted, where pupils vote in two rounds to choose their favorite ecosystem: jungle, ocean, or polar habitat. Then, with a preferential vote, they select a "foreign" animal from the other ecosystems to integrate into the mural, symbolising the integration of foreigners. The children then collaborate by painting together the mural that has won the election, and each personalise a tote bag, illustrating their individual freedom in democracy. This activity shows them that they have a voice, which they can use to vote and persuade their pals to support their choice.
Presenter:
Isabel Morales is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Area Demos, a nonprofit, non-partisan think tank with a European focus. She holds a Master in Public Affairs from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and a Master in Mediation from the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. Her research work spans from the electoral process and democratic rights to electoral abstentionism, political disaffection, and political polarization in Europe and other democracies.
Reporting Diversity Network, Media Diversity Institute Western Balkans
Serbia
The Media Diversity Institute Western Balkans (MDI WB) promotes accurate and inclusive diversity journalism. For this reason, Reporting Diversity Network 2.0 – RDN 2.0 is established to effectively influence media representation of ethnicity, religion, and gender in the Western Balkans. The network aims to strengthen the role of civil society in promoting a positive discourse to foster harmonious relations between neighbours and respect for social diversity. It seeks to strengthen regional collaboration between civil society organisations to influence the quality of media messages on ethnicity, religion, gender, and other forms of diversity. By providing tools and resources, it strengthens the influence of civil society and citizens in creating inclusive media and effective policies. Activities include media monitoring to detect hate speech, as well as awareness-raising campaigns on social media to counter incitement to hatred. The partnership brings together 16 organisations from six Western Balkan countries.
Presenter:
Ivana Jelaca is running Media Diversity Institute Western Balkans, an organisation that works to encourage accurate and nuanced representation on social diversity, be it race, religion, ethnicity, class, age, disability, gender identity, or sexuality. She holds an MA in Diversity and the Media from the University of Westminster, and has been working for the past ten years in the field of media and diversity, hate speech, and media literacy, running multi-annual, multinational programmes. Ivana is media literacy and hate speech trainer, who strongly believes in the importance of social equity and gender equality.
Immersive Audio Unlearning, Sergio Xavier
Portugal
Sérgio Xavier is a freelance educator with 15+ years of experience in different fields such as youth work, human rights education, and education for democratic citizenship. He has developed the artistic-educational research‐based methodology "Immersive Audio Unlearning" since 2023, aiming to stimulate radical thinking on many of the challenges featuring within contemporary democracies, such as populism, polarisation, far right, or Eurocentrism. The audience is invited to shut their eyes, wear a critical lens, and immerse themselves in a narrative soundscape, within a story that includes a problematised representation of current reality. After a brief introduction, the immersive experience takes place, concluded by a reflexive sharing of the audience's impressions. "The Ascension" - the IAU story hereby presented - initiates after an electoral process where a populist political force is elected to govern a country. It imagines the growth of authoritarianism and illiberalism in a democratic‐recessing state. It fosters the imagination of alternative scenarios, where democracy is collectively strengthened, fundamental rights and freedoms are utterly protected, and (des)information is critically thought.
Presenter:
Sérgio Xavier is an educator-researcher with an activist background. He co-founded and led the youth association Dínamo on the outskirts of Lisbon - Rio de Mouro. He has been a member of diverse educational and research pools at local and international levels. He was a Policy Advisor for Social Rights in the Lisbon City Council, particularly in the areas of Human Rights, Participation and Youth. He co-designed and coordinated SOMOS - Lisbon Programme for Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights. He researches democratic education. He developed and practices the radical education methodology of Immersive Audio Unlearning (www.radical-edu.com).
NewsWise, The Guardian Foundation
United Kingdom
The NewsWise programme, launched in 2018 and led by The Guardian Foundation, National Literacy Trust and PSHE Association, is the UK's only free media literacy programme for children aged 7-11. The initiative aims to create a generation of news-literate young people, with the ultimate objective being to develop responsible, active citizens. A recent study with the University of Birmingham has shown that participating in the programme sustainably improves children's ability to detect fake news and strengthens their civic engagement. So far, the programme has reached 16,700 children in nearly 300 schools across the UK and trained nearly 4,000 teachers. It specifically targets schools in disadvantaged areas or areas poorly served by the media. The programme focuses on critical literacy through understanding how news is produced, identifying reliable sources, distinguishing between fact and opinion, and getting children to create their own news reports.
Presenter:
Elli Narewska is Head of primary education at the Guardian Foundation and runs the award-winning NewsWise programme, developing media literacy resources and workshops for schools and families as well as teacher training. Her work aims to make the world of news and media accessible to all young people, raising aspirations and giving them opportunities to make their voices heard. She has worked in media education for over a decade, with particular interest in digital literacy and critical thinking. Prior to this, she was an English teacher working in London schools as well as a variety of SEND settings.
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