In 2023 the symposium focused mainly on the topics of disinformation and freedom of expression, the use of artificial intelligence and the issue of elections.
Event date:
September 15, 2023
The International Symposium is a unique space for dialogue between foreign and Czech experts, representatives of NGOs, politicians and the general public. The world's leading scholars will once again gather in Prague to discuss current challenges to democracy and open society. This year, they will focus on disinformation and freedom of expression, the use of artificial intelligence and the issue of elections.
The fifth edition of the international symposium will take place on Friday 15 September 2023 in Prague. The lectures of the world's leading experts will be simultaneously interpreted into Czech. Come and listen to them in the Rytířský sál Velkopřevorského paláce on the Lesser Town and join the discussion on the challenges of contemporary democracy. Tickets for the all-day event are on sale at GoOut.cz.
The entire programme of the symposium will be held in English, with simultaneous interpretation into Czech language.
University of Oxford
Stein Ringen is a political scientist and an authority on states, governance and democracy. He is Professor of Political Economy at King's College London and an emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Oxford. Stein Ringen is the author of numerous books and publications on topics ranging from the Scandinavian welfare state via constitutional affairs in Britain and the USA to dictatorship in China. His journalism has previously appeared in the Financial Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, South China Morning Post and other leading newspapers. He has also previously served as an consultant to the United Nations.
Topic: Elections, Nominations and Money
New York Law School
Nadine Strossen is a leading expert on freedom of expression. She believes that the appropriate defence against hate speech is not censorship but free speech. In other words, by suppressing extremists' speech, we reduce our own chances of overcoming their views. Nadine was the longtime, and at the time youngest, president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). She is also a founding member of the Feminists for Free Expression movement.
Topic: Defending freedom for disinformation and other dangerous speech: a conversation between Adam Ruzicka and Nadine Strossen
Charles University
Miroslav Bárta is a Czech Egyptologist and archaeologist. Since 2011 he has been conducting excavations at the archaeological site of Abusir (Egypt). In 2013-2019 he was the director of the Czech Institute of Egyptology. He is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2019, he received the prestigious Česká hlava scientific award.
Topic: Dialogue 21: Quo vadis, civilization?
University of Zürich
Sacha Altay is an experimental psychologist working on misinformation, misperceptions, social media, and trust. He’s currently a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Zurich, and holds a PhD in cognitive science from the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. He believes that many fears surrounding misinformation are reminiscent of moral panics about the effects of new technology and the presumed gullibility of (other) people.
Topic: Rethinking the problem of misinformation
Tufts University
Peter Levine is an associate dean and professor in Tufts University’s Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Life. Trained as a moral/political philosopher, he has spent most of his career conducting applied empirical research and organizing professional efforts related to civic life in the United States, including sustained work on civic education, voting rights, public deliberation, and social movements. He is the author of eight books, including most recently We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: The Promise of Civic Renewal in America and What Should We Do? A Theory of Civic Life
Topic: People Are Not Points in Space: Opinions and Discussions as Networks of Ideas
Institute H21
Dr. Janeček is the founder of Institute H21 and the author of the innovative voting system D21. He received his PhD in mathematical finance at Carnegie Mellon University. He established RSJ Algorithmic Trading and now dedicates his time to anti-corruption and pro-democratic activities.
Topic: Dialogue 21: Quo vadis, civilization?
Columbia Business School
Eli M. Noam is a professor of economics at Columbia Business School and holds the Paul Garrett Chair in Public Policy and Accountability in Business. He is director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI). His research focuses on the economics, governance, and politics of media and the digital world, most recently on global media ownership and next-generation "Cloud-TV." He has written more than 400 articles and authored, edited and co-edited more than 30 books.
Topic: AI as a tool for Citizen Empowerment
Charles University
Radek Chlup is a religionist who lectures at the Institute of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the Charles University. He is interested in symbolic thought and action, both in the traditional religious context and in our contemporary secular society, for which stories and symbols are more important than we often admit. He explores the mythic-symbolic layers of contemporary culture and politics, among other things, on his blog. On it, he shows the workings of our contemporary stories, but also their limits. His aim is to cultivate the ability to acknowledge the stories of others and to find ways to understand each other. More recently, he has been using his expertise to explore the problem of misinformation in the age of authenticity.
Topic: The problem of tackling disinformation in an age of authenticity
Lectures of foreign experts will be held in thematic blocks. Simultaneous interpretation into Czech is provided. The detailed programme will be specified in the week of the event. Follow the Facebook event for the symposium here.
Registration
Foreword
Peter Levine: People Are Not Points in Space: Opinions and Discussions as Networks of Ideas
Coffee break
Stein Ringen: Elections, Nominations and Money
Sacha Altay: Rethinking the problem of misinformation
Lunch break
Radek Chlup: The problem of tackling disinformation in an age of authenticity
Eli Noam: AI as a tool for Citizen Empowerment
Coffee break
Nadine Strossen: Defending freedom for disinformation and other dangerous speech: a conversation between Adam Ruzicka and Nadine Strossen
Karel Janeček and Miroslav Bárta: Dialogue 21 - Quo vadis, civilization?
Final word
Afterparty
Democracy in the 21stCentury Symposium: Challenges for an Open Society will take place in the Rytířský sál of the Velkopřevorský palác. The entrance to the building is located at Lázeňská Street 485. Tickets for the all-day event are on sale at GoOut.cz.
Velkopřevorský palác
Lázeňská 485, 118 00
Malá Strana, Praha 1
Friday September 15th 2023
Registration at 08:48 a.m.
Take a look at the Symposium 2021 aftermovie.
We study electoral systems, the development of the D21 – Janeček Method, and issues of democracy.
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