Umkämpfte Demokratie – Historische und interdisziplinäre Perspektiven

In a dialogue between historical studies and neighbouring disciplines, central areas of tension are examined: Inequality and property, the public sphere and media, migration and the politics of memory, the environment, the body, gender and social participation. The contributions show that democracy was and is always the result of negotiation processes, struggles and social transformations. The conference will also discuss how democracy has grown historically, is currently challenged and can be shaped in the future.

The organisers are: Norbert Finzsch (University of Cologne), Jürgen Martschukat (University of Erfurt) and Leonie Werle (Documentation Centre for National Socialism, Freiburg)

To participate in the event, please register by e-mail to: tagung.demokratie@uni-erfurt.de

Programme:
Friday, 20 November 2026

• 12.30 pm: Welcome Coffee
• 1–1.30 pm: Welcome and introduction
• 1.30–2.45 pm: Democracy, Body and Gender: Democratic Care and Authoritarian Austerity in Times of Crisis of Social Reproduction (Jule Govrin, University of Wuppertal)
• 3–4.15 pm: Democracy, memory politics and migration: What do the debates on migration, flight and asylum tell us about the political culture of the Berlin Republic? (Patrice G. Poutrus, Amadeu Antonio Foundation, Berlin)
• Coffee break
• 4.45–6 pm: Democracy, participation and engagement: (How) do citizen dialogues work in districts with extreme right-wing dominance tendencies? (Heike Radvan, University of Tübingen)
• 6.15–7.30 pm: Democracy, media and the public sphere: On the prerequisites for the free formation of opinion (Ulrike Weckel, JLU Gießen)
• 8 pm: Dinner

Saturday, 21 November 2026

• 9–10.15 am: Democracy, Property and Inequality: Does Democracy Need Socialism? (Silke van Dyk, FSU Jena)
• 10.30–11.45 am: Democracy, Environment and Nature: Does Freedom Need Abundance? (Dirk Schuck, University of Erfurt Erfurt)
• 12–12.30 pm: Wrap-up
• 1.30–3 pm: Hist4Dem meeting