We have thought of a workshop that builds on the idea that in times of profound crisis, democracies by applying the appropriate “medicine” end up confronting their own maladies (among which, in some cases, the not so high levels of civic and social trust).

Recent studies seem to suggest that societies with higher levels of civic trust have generally proved to be the ones with higher compliance with the restrictive measures imposed during the pandemic crisis. At the same time, a special relationship with another type of trust can be identified: the association between the level of social trust (feature directly dependent on the level of democratization of society) and the degree of coercion in imposing restrictive measures. Varying greatly, from one state to another, this type of relationship gives rise to a different acceptance level of individual and social responsibility.

We have imagined two sections for this workshop:

Enforcing trust – a section containing lectures on how democratic values can be strengthened or weakened, on how the level of civic and social trust affects the way in which a democracy enforces the necessary measures in times of deep stress and what is the response to these; the format may also include studies on lockdown and protests associated to lockdown, as well as research on how this period of stress can be used by states to cure their own sickness  and create the conditions for achieving higher levels of civic trust.

Changes in values during stress times – a section containing lectures on how the individuals’ value systems and their civic engagement change when faced with a crisis situation that produces a sudden and significant altering of welfare. At the same time, this part of the workshop may include studies on how mandatory isolation and lockdown affect the import / transfer of democratic values, a consequence of globalization and cosmopolitanism, but also of social remittances.

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Program

Opening remarks and opening presentation

10.00-10.30 Andreea MURARU, NEC Alumna
Social trust during the COVID 19 pandemic

Keynote address

10.30-11.30  Jean-Louis FABIANI, prof. Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Central European University
Is trust possible in epidemic times?

Thematic presentations

11.30-12.00 Robert SANTA, PhD. National University of Political Studies and Public Administration
The asymmetric impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns on European birth rates

12.00-13.30 Lunch break

13.30-14.00 Monica ROMAN, prof. The Bucharest University of Economic Studies
Does migration background affect trust?

14.00-14.30 Ligia DECA, presidential adviser, NEC Alumna
Challenges to the mission of (higher) education during pandemic times

Keynote address

14.30-15.30 Sergiu GHERGHINA, senior lecturer in Comparative Politics, Glasgow University
Big Money Threatens Representation: Political Parties and Electoral Clientelism

Concluding remarks

This workshop is organized within the AMEROPA Fellowship Program at New Europe College.

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Media

– Dilema veche, 30 September 2021