SPAA and IPSR Launch Discussion Series on ‘The Future of Democratic Governance’

The Challenge to Democracy: Is the Field of Public Administration Ready to Meet It?

The KU School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) and the Institute for Policy and Social Research (IPSR) are proud to announce the launch of a discussion series on ‘The Future of Democratic Governance.’ This timely series will commence with a thought-provoking lecture titled, “The Challenge to Democracy: Is the Field of Public Administration Ready to Meet It?” and will be provided by Alasdair Roberts, a Professor of Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Professor Roberts writes extensively on problems of governance and public policy and is the author of the recently published, “Superstates: Empires of the Twenty-First Century.” His upcoming book, “The Adaptable Country: How Canada Can Survive the Twenty-First Century,” is set to be released in 2024. Professor Roberts’ event abstract can be found below:

“In the next thirty years we will conduct a large-scale test in governance.  We know that the conditions confronting leaders will be exceptionally challenging, and not just because of the climate emergency.  The question is which form of government, the liberal-democratic model, or the authoritarian alternative, will perform better under these conditions.   It is not clear that the liberal-democratic model has the advantage.  Scholars and practitioners in public administration ought to be thinking more deliberately about how to improve the resilience of the liberal-democratic model.  The first step is acknowledging our commitment to democracy as a universal human right.”

Professor Roberts’ free hybrid lecture will take place on Thursday, February 15th, 2024, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. CST at the Kansas Union in the Centennial room and will be livestreamed for online participants. We request all participants register here, and that in-person attendees do so by Wednesday, January 31st. For any questions or access needs, contact Ann Ermey at aermey@ku.edu or 785-864-7901.

Dr. Christopher Koliba, the Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor of Public Administration, Policy, and Governance, is leading the charge in organizing this discussion series and had this to say about the importance of this dialogue:

“Given the anticipated tumult of the 2024 presidential election in the US and its aftermath, and other trends indicating that ‘democratic backsliding’ is a very real possibility for established democracies, we are pleased to offer a new hybrid discussion series relating to the future of democratic governance that is free and accessible to the public administration and policy studies communities.  Our first event will take place with Al Roberts, an internationally acclaimed author and researcher on topics relating to democracy, governance and macro level trends shaping the public administration of liberal democracies.  Later this spring we will be offering the second installment of the series involving Charles Stewart, eminent scholar of election administration.  We believe this series will help to fill a space for critical discussion of the major threats facing democracies. These discussions will serve as spaces for people to express concerns and consider responses in relation to the political currents shaping the present and our common future.”

To learn more about the discussion series on ‘The Future of Democratic Governance,’ please contact Dr. Koliba at ckoliba@ku.edu.