Democracy: Past, Present and Future

About the event

The year 2024 marks a pivotal moment with major elections scheduled in key countries such as the UK, the US, and India.

The upcoming US Presidential election in November is set to be one of the most consequential in recent history, with implications not only for the nation but for the global landscape.

Join us for the inaugural session of a series hosted by experts from UCL Social & Historical Sciences, delving into the pressing issues of this historic election year.

Our first discussion, "Democracy: Past, Present, and Future," will explore the dynamics of power, reflecting on historical democratic structures and shedding light on the contemporary landscape. We'll also address why the integrity of American democracy isn't fundamentally "at stake" in the 2024 US election, and the importance of community, solidarity and fraternity for building democratic health into the future.

This event is free and open to all.

Meet the speakers and chair providing their unique disciplinary insights

• Dr Nick Witham is Associate Professor of United States History and Head of Department, UCL Institute of the Americas (Chair)
• Dr Thomas Gift is Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Centre on US Politics
• Dr Nadia Hilliard is Senior Lecturer in US Politics at the UCL Institute of the Americas
• Dr Borja Legarra Herrero is Lecturer (Teaching) in Comparative Mediterranean Prehistory at the UCL Institute of Archaeology

About the series

Subsequent events in the series will unpack diverse topics including gender and sexuality, climate change, global migration and urban studies, and media and populism. The series will culminate with a reflection session in November, examining these themes in light of the election outcome.

Access profile

We aim to make our events as inclusive as possible so if you have any accessibility requirements please let us know in advance so we can try to make reasonable adjustments and ensure the appropriate measures are taken.

• There is step free access into the Lecture Theatre.
• This is a hybrid event so you can join the talks in-person or online.
• For full venue access details please visit the accessable website.

Photography

Please note photographs and recordings taken at this event may be included in future publications, on our website and on social media. If you do not wish to be included in any media, please opt out by contacting us at shs.marcomms@ucl.ac.uk

Privacy

Register your details to reserve a place at the event. Your personal information will only be used to administer your event attendance. You will have the option during registration to opt in to find out about future events in the series.