Envisioning the future: democracy, governance, and the politics of tomorrow
Discussion with Jonathan White and Jan Zielonka
The future is not merely something that happens; it is a contested political idea that shapes our present decisions and the world we build for generations to come. This discussion brings together the perspectives of two influential political theorists who have recently contributed to the debate on future-related discussions for envisioning political projects, (re-)shaping policies, and democratic legitimacy.
Jonathan White, author of the book In the Long Run: The Future as a Political Idea (Profile Books 2024), and Jan Zielonka, author of The Lost Future: And How to Reclaim It (Yale University Press 2023) will engage in a discussion to explore our collective relationship with the future, the democratic challenges born of short-termism, the risks associated to the management of ecological, technological, and geopolitical crises, and the possibilities for reclaiming democratic agency in uncertain times.
Language: English without simultaneous transaltion
Program:
Introduction
Harald Pechlaner, Head of the Center for Advanced Studies, Eurac Research
Jonathan White, Professor of Politics and Deputy Head of the European Institute at the London School of Economics
Jan Zielonka, Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Venice Ca’ Foscari and Emeritus Professor at the University of Oxford
Discussion and Q&A
Moderation: Elisa Piras, Center for Advanced Studies, Eurac Research
Conclusion and aperitivo
Registration (by 13 September 2025): https://eu.surveymonkey.com/r/ITLR
Event website: https://www.eurac.edu/en/institutes-centers/center-for-advanced-studies/news-events/envisioning-the-future-democracy-governance-politics-jonathan-white-jan-zielonka