Ordinary citizens’ participation in politics is a cornerstone of the democratic political order. At the same time, such participation raises important philosophical questions. Do democratic citizens have any moral obligation to participate in elections or is abstention permissible? What is the moral justification of the right to stand for election, and what is its substantial content? Should elections as an institution possibly be reformed? Should they, for example, enable early voting? Beyond elections, do democratic citizens have any moral obligations to engage in extra-electoral forms of participation? And more fundamentally, what philosophical frameworks are best suited for theorizing problems like these? Bringing together diverse contributions on these and related questions, this conference aims to illumine and enable exchanges on key issues in the philosophy of democratic political participation.

Registration (necessary) for the conference is open until 03 March 2025 with Marcus Carlsen Haggrot : marcus.carlsenhaggrot@sciencespo.fr

Programme

Sciences Po : 13, rue de l'université 75007 Paris

Thursday 13 March
Room S.09

13h30-15h30

• Early Voting and the Democratic Ideal
  Lachlan Umbers, University of Western Australia
• Political Parties and the Right to Stand for Elected Office
  Annabelle Lever, Sciences Po

15h30-16h00 : Coffee

16h00-18h00

• Why Democratic Citizens May Abstain from Voting
  Marcus C. Häggrot, Sciences Po
• How to Theorise the Ethics of Voting
  Julian Culp, American University of Paris

18h00-19h00 : Reception

Friday 14 March
Room S.10

10h00-12h00

• Democratic Citizens as Political Consumers: The Civic Responsibility to Vote With Our Wallets
  Christine Hobden, Wits School of Governance
• What is ‘Consciousness-Raising’?
  Cain Shelley, University of Warwick

12h00-13h00 : Lunch

13h00-15h00

• Can Elections Be (More) Egalitarian?
  Pierre-Etienne Vandamme, KU Leuven
• Lazarsfeld’s Construction of Voting as a Research Object and the Modern Psychology of Participation
  Alice Lasvergnas, Sciences Po