Time: 27 September 2023 at 18:00-19:00 (Time zone EEST – Finland)
Place: Zoom
This webinar dealt with the recently published edited volume “Democracy and the Future: Future-Regarding Governance in Democratic Systems” (Edinburgh University Press, 2023), edited by Michael MacKenzie, Maija Setälä, and Simo Kyllönen.
The book brings together political philosophers, democratic theorists, empirical political scientists, and policy experts to examine how democratic systems might be designed so that the long-term consequences of our decisions are better considered in policymaking. It examines these topics from many different perspectives – it is interdisciplinary and globally oriented – but it also explores Finland as an example of how future-regarding governance might be done. The book explores the challenges and possibilities of long-term governance in democratic systems in an era of multiple crises.
The event included a brief introduction to the book by Prof. Michael K. MacKenzie (Vancouver Island University), followed by comments by Prof. Simon Caney (University of Warwick), and a discussion.
The book is based on the research project “Participation in Long-Term Decision-Making” (PALO), funded by the Strategic Research Council (2017-2022).
Book reviews
This fascinating volume brings together leading political theorists and empirical researchers to illuminate the relationship between democracy and long-term decision-making. Starting from an analysis of the myriad tensions between democratic politics and future-regarding governance, the book goes on to unearth a variety of ways in which well-designed institutions, well-structured deliberations, and farsighted leaders can help democracies manage long-term societal challenges. The volume will be invaluable to both scholars and policymakers seeking to more strongly orient democratic politics toward the future.
– Alan Jacobs, University of British Columbia